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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933770">Promise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenBread/pseuds/GreenBread'>GreenBread</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Vengeance [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead &amp; Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Disaster Clementine (Walking Dead), F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Lesbian Disaster Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running), There isn’t enough fics with Molly in them IMO, Wing-Woman Molly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:28:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,605</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933770</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenBread/pseuds/GreenBread</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Molly had never been one for saying goodbye or making promises. Yet here she was, doing both. She was making a promise to find a nine-year-old girl in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Great...This can only go well...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>AJ | Alvin Jr. &amp; Clementine (Walking Dead), Clementine &amp; Molly (Walking Dead: Around Every Corner), Clementine/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Vengeance [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1889512</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Fulfilling an eight years old promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Molly sighed upon seeing Lee's weak frame leaning against a radiator. He was pale and struggling to breathe. <em>Poor bastard...</em></p><p>"C'mon, old man, now's not a good time for a nap." The blonde muttered, shaking Lee's shoulder from her position on the floor and absently noticing the bite mark on his wrist.</p><p>"Who you callin' old?" He responded, his eyes fluttering open. The handcuffs on his other wrist clanged.</p><p>"Are you alright?" She asked as her brows furrowed. Worry evident in her brown eyes and her tone. Her hand fell from the man's shoulder and rested by her knees.</p><p>"I... I dunno. Everything feels cold and hot at the same time." He was scared. Molly had seen some of the toughest people she knew start to act like this before their deaths. It was heartbreaking every time. She had put on her cold persona purely to avoid having to feel like this ever again. Watching someone slip into the grim reaper's awaiting claws and being helpless to stop it, forced to spectate. It was one of her main reasons for never saying goodbye to people she cared about, they were never gone. Why she never said bye to her sister...</p><p>"I don't want to turn, Molly. Please... Don't let me turn."</p><p>"Don't worry about it. I won't let you," She smiled a sad smile. "I at least owe it to the man that straddled me," Molly added, a cheeky grin plastered on her face. Lee heartily chuckled. He looked to his left and coughed blood onto the floor. Staining it scarlet.</p><p>"Can you promise me something else as well?"</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>"Find Clementine and look after her, i-it's not that I don't trust Omid and Christa, it's just... This is a big city, Molly." He rasped. The woman closed her eyes and nodded, letting her head hang down. Debating the promise in her head.</p><p>"Ok. I promise. I won't stop until I find her. You have my word." The blonde responded. Lee nodded his head in appreciation before his body turned cold and once again slumped against the heater. His eyes were closed, in a strange way, he looked peaceful.</p><p>"I'll miss you, Lee. You were a good man," The woman stood to her full height and raised her climbing pick, holding it in place beside her shoulder. "Goodbye."</p><p>She swung the pick into the side of his head, cutting through the skin and bone like a hot knife through butter. Molly grunted and pulled the weapon out, watching as fragments of bone and flesh followed Hilda out. Slowly, the young woman wiped off the brain matter and blood off the blade and onto her jeans. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.</p><p>"Time to find a little girl..." She muttered under her breath.</p><hr/><p><br/>     <span class="u"><em><strong> 8 Years Later...</strong></em></span></p><p> </p><p>Molly pulled a can of beans from out of her backpack and opened it. She was sat on a branch near the top of a tree, in deep thought. She had been following Clementine's trail for the past eight years into West Virginia, when it suddenly went cold. No clues to where she could've gone beside a totalled car resting in a ditch. Which was abso-fucking-lutely worthless for finding the damn girl. She had checked the wreckage and, thankfully, hadn't found her dead body. Molly threw her finished can off the tree and watched in satisfaction as it hurtled toward the Earth. No sooner than it hit the ground did she hear a startled cry.</p><p>"Clementine!"</p><p>That name was a name Molly recognised, it was surprisingly close. Without a moment's hesitation, she took off in the direction of the yelling, making sure to stay hidden in the trees. It had only taken about twenty seconds for her to arrive on the scene.</p><p>"I-My name's Lilly. You probably don't remember me, it's been a while." Molly watched in silence as Clementine's face morphed from shock to anger.</p><p>"I don't give a fuck, you evil bitch." The teenager bit out. The woman, Lilly, quickly stamped onto the girl's midsection. Molly seethed from the shadows, taking Hilda out in preparation. She watched in surprise as Lilly held out her hand, offering Clementine a way to stand up. The blonde watched in pride as the teen stood up on her own.</p><p>"What the fucking hell is this?" A lanky man, with one brown and one blue eye asked. He only had one arm.</p><p>"Not now."</p><p>The man lessened his grip on the child, but still stopped him from escaping.</p><p>"Lee isn't with you?" Clementine crossed her arms and averted her gaze. "So he's dead then... I'll never forget him leaving me on the side of the road to die."</p><p><em>Holy shit</em>. Molly thought, eyes widening. <em>That came outta left field.</em></p><p>"I don't blame him, I was clearly a threat to the group after I killed that guy."</p><p>"Doug," Clementine confirmed.</p><p>"Lee should've left you behind too. Might have lived longer if he did." Hurt flashed across the teenager's eyes. "Same thing'll happen to you. If you repeat his mistakes."</p><p>The older brunette glanced at the boy. "Your little boy there. You'll die protecting him. you may be able to keep this up a while longer, but eventually he'll slow you down. A walker you didn't spot. A bullet you couldn't dodge. A desperate cry for help that brings the herd." <em>Or me</em>. Molly supposed, she already hated this woman. Apparently, so did Clementine, who approached her.</p><p>"Maybe. But you'll die first."</p><p>"Brave. But stupid. I'm surprised you made it this far. You need a better plan than just killing your enemies." Before Clementine could respond, the man with the gravelly voice cut in.</p><p>"Fuck, we don't have time for this."</p><p>"We have history," Lilly responded.</p><p>"Great. You know her. I know her. Point is, we've got a job to do."</p><p>Molly shuffled along the tree and silently hopped over to the one next to the man and the kid, so she was hovering above them. Her grip on Hilda tightened.</p><p>"We can help you raise that boy, Clementine, but we need you to do something for us."</p><p>Clementine put one of her hands on her waist and scoffed. "What? Help you kidnap a couple more kids?"</p><p>"We don't need a couple," The man interjected. "We need all of you."</p><p>"We'll take you back to the Delta to join our people," Lilly continued. "We have walls, we have working solar panels and we grow our own food. All we need from you is to go back to your friends and convince them to come peacefully. No one will be harmed."</p><p>"I'm not Marlon," Clementine argued back, snarling.</p><p>The man holding the kid tightened his grip before speaking. "Here's what I'll do. I'll take the little squirt here right now. That way I'm sure you'll play nice."</p><p>The woman in the treetops noticed two kids approaching the situation. One female, with a bow and arrow, and the other a male who was holding a chair leg. Suddenly, Clementine shouted.</p><p>"Shoot!"</p><p>Molly watched as the other girl let go of her arrow and it hit Lilly in the shoulder. She took that as her queue and dropped down onto the adult male, Hilda already embedded into his shoulder by the time he realised what was going on.</p><p>He let go of the kid and screamed, deep and guttural. Molly yanked her weapon out of the man's shoulder and kicked the back of his knee. He fell into the dirt. For good measure, she smashed the top of his head with the blunt end of her mountain axe. The man quickly succumbed to unconsciousness.</p><p>A gunshot echoed throughout the clearing. Molly's head snapped toward the deafening sound. Lilly was running, her rifle was forgotten on the ground and the barrel of her pistol still smoking. Her gaze fell onto Clementine, who was clutching her stomach, wet blood trickling through her fingers. Her eyes wide and her mouth agape with shock. The teenager stumbled backwards and fell.</p><p>"Clem!" The child yelled.</p><p>"Shit." The blonde ran to the fallen girl and immediately started applying pressure to the wound. She watched as the brunette's eyes remain unfocused.</p><p>"Holy-" The male teenager began, only to be cut off by the female.</p><p>"Is she alright?" She asked, voice edged with worry. Molly ignored them.</p><p>"She needs medical attention right away," She began, picking up Clementine and holding her bridal style. "Where's the nearest place we can get help?"</p><p>The two teenagers winced. "A couple of hours away..." They muttered. Molly's stomach dropped.</p><p>"What way?"</p><p>"That way," the male teenager extended his arm. "The name's Louis by the way."</p><p>"Mine's Violet."</p><p>Groaning filled everyone's ears as walkers descended upon them, drawn by the gunshot. </p><p>"Formalities later. We need to move." The adult commanded, dashing off in the direction of Louis' outstretched arm. Everyone following shortly behind. Leaving the man behind.</p><hr/><p>"I think we lost them." The kid spoke up, feverishly glancing at Clementine, worry evident. </p><p>"She'll be alright, kid." Molly comforted, knowing full well she won't be unless they get help.</p><p>"Oh, I know. She's been shot before." He stood on his tiptoes and tried to get a better look at the injured girl. "She's strong." </p><p>The ragtag group continued through the seemingly endless forest in awkward silence. The trees were beginning to look the same and Molly would've thought they were going in circles if not for Louis' insistence that they were heading in the correct direction. Every now and then a strong breeze would flow through the canopy, shaking the leaves. After about two hours of walking, Clementine finally groaned to life. She instinctively thrashed and threw herself out of Molly's arms and onto the cold, hard floor. She yelped in pain. </p><p>"Shit! Clem, you alright?" The blonde woman asked, kneeling down in front of the girl and resting her arm on her knee. Molly watched as Clementine's eyes shot open in surprise.</p><p> "Molly...?" </p><p>"The one and only." She chuckled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Vampire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Where's AJ?" Clementine asked from her position on the floor dirty floor, scanning the area. Wincing when she turned too fast. Her eyes finally landed on AJ, who was timidly playing with his fingers. "Hey, Goofball." She softly spoke.</p><p>AJ looked down, deciding the ground was more interesting. "Will you be ok?"</p><p>"Do you want the honest answer or the comforting answer?" The brunette joked, hoping to dodge the question.</p><p>"Honest."</p><p>Clem sighed. "I dunno. Being shot in the gut is a hell of a lot different compared to being shot in the shoulder."</p><p>AJ's shoulders visibly sagged. The brunette smiled sadly and took off her jacket. She held it out to Molly, who was still kneeling beside her.</p><p>"Would ya mind?"</p><p>The blonde nodded, took it and pushed Clementine so she was sat up. She wrapped the jacket tightly around the girl's midsection, blocking the bleeding. The teen's breath shuddered as the makeshift bandage tightened further.</p><p>"We need to move, like right now. There's a trail of blood leading God knows how many walkers straight to us and I don't know about you, but I don't like being chomped." Louis spoke, his hands erratically slicing through the air. Violet nodded slowly in agreement and rushed to Clem's side. She and Molly grabbed the teenager under her arms and supported her weight as she got to her feet. Clementine leaned heavily on Violet as they all once again trudged slowly toward the school. Molly noticed that the sun was beginning to set.</p><p>"So," She started. "I came across your friend, Kenny."</p><p>"Really?" Clementine laughed softly. "How's the tough bastard doing?"</p><p>Molly cocked her head. "Well, apart from having a missing eye, he's doing pretty well all things considered. He wouldn't tell me about his eye though, something to do with '<em>none of your fuckin' business</em>'." She poorly mocked. Clementine snorted.</p><p>"Sounds like Kenny. He lost it after I reunited with him myself," Upon everyone's curious look, she explained. "Some crazy fucker called Carver beat it in with a radio. He had started to build a community in a Howes store, well, at least to him. It was more like a concentration camp, we were forced to do manual labour for the asshole. The group I was with wanted nothing to do with it though so we tried to escape. The plan was to get a radio to a guy, Luke, who had snuck in, so we could monitor when a horde of walkers would hit the place. We wanted to escape in the confusion." Clementine chuckled.</p><p>"Luke got caught trying to steal food." She shook her head slightly. "I was originally going to take the blame for stealing the radios - because I did - but Kenny said he stole it before I could. Carver wasn't too pleased. I'm pretty sure he knew it was me though. He made eye contact with me while beating Kenny. It was just... something... in the way he looked."</p><p>Violet cleared her throat. "Wow, okay. You weren't kidding when you told Brody to think again about not knowing how people are like out here. Jesus."</p><p>"That guy was pretty bad, but I've heard about and seen worse."</p><p>"Oh yeah?" Louis inquired. "Like who?"</p><p>Clementine nodded tightly. "Well, there was this one group I ran into over in North Virginia, called themselves 'The Saviours'. The leader was fucking insane. He only let me go once he saw AJ with me. Told his men to move on and left me there. Negan did help me out once but... we aren't on the best of terms. He also has this policy, something about 'not involving kids in a contest to see who has the biggest cock'. Whatever the fuck that means... Oh yeah, there was also this community back in Savannah, a place called Crawford, but I think Molly should probably tell you. She knows more about it than I do."</p><p>The kids all looked at the adult expectantly. Molly huffed and readjusted her grip on Clementine. "Fine... They were assholes. Anyone with a medical condition, any children, any elderly, anyone who might be considered a liability was executed. They made roadblocks with their corpses, most of them turned. It was... disturbing." She laughed a little at Louis' disgusted face.</p><p>"But... Why?" He asked.</p><p>"Scare tactic." She and Clementine deadpanned at the same time. The rusted gates of Ericson's approached and Willy poked his head out of cover; bow drawn and dirty blonde hair swaying wildly in the wind. </p><p>"Guys! They came back!" He shouted, turning around to face the other kids in the courtyard. "And they brought someone else too!" </p><p>Molly raised an eyebrow. "No shit..." She muttered. She could see Clementine try and hold in a smirk but inevitably fail anyway. A couple of seconds later, the gates finally opened. Two people rushed out, Ruby and Aasim. The redhead's gaze instantly fell to the bloody jacket wrapped around Clementine's midsection. </p><p>"What happ-" </p><p>"I got shot." Clementine finished, grimacing. She touched the bullet hole and winced, the blood stuck to her hand. </p><p>"Do you have a fire setup?" Molly asked. </p><p>"Uhh, yeah we do. Why?" Aasim responded, curious. </p><p>"We have to cauterise it. She's already lost a lot of blood." She supplied. Clementine shuddered and groaned beside her. </p><p>Molly turned to her. "What? We have to." </p><p>"Yeah, yeah. I know," The brunette said. "I just don't like it." </p><p>Ruby gestured for them to come in, so they did. Louis and Violet carefully placed Clementine onto a wooden picnic while Molly waltzed over to the fire. A pot of stew was being cooked on it. She knelt and pulled a seven-inch long knife out of her backpack. The blonde placed the blade in the heat of the fire and rejoined Clementine. </p><p>"Where's Mitch and Omar?" Violet bluntly asked Ruby. The redhead sighed. </p><p>"They went out huntin' about twenty minutes ago. Haven't come back yet."</p><p>"Hey... whatever your name is, would you mind grabbing some bandages and antibiotics? She's gonna need them after the cauterisation."</p><p>"Uh, yeah sure. The name's Ruby by the way," The southern girl marched off toward the admin building, Aasim shortly behind. "Jus' don't be so rude about it next time."</p><p>"Sheesh, sorry for asking..."</p><p>"What does cauterisation mean?" AJ inquired.</p><p>"It's when you... uh." Violet began. </p><p>Clementine spoke up, saving Violet. "Hey, AJ. Remember when I showed you that glowing knife trick?" </p><p>AJ nodded his head. "It hurt like hell to touch, yes." </p><p>"You use that to stop the bleeding." </p><p>"W-wait. How? Do you place it on it or something?"</p><p>"Spot on, little man!" Louis interjected, winking at him. Molly watched as the child cringed and she barked out a laugh.</p><p>"Can you guys hold her down? I need to check if the bullet is still in there." She demanded, not unkindly. The kids all nodded. Violet grabbed Clementine by her shoulders whereas Louis grabbed her legs. AJ rested his arms on the brunette's thighs. She unwrapped the lacklustre bandage and grimaced. The bullet had torn into the girl's shirt, blood seeped through the fabric. Molly grabbed the hem of her shirt. "Can I?"</p><p>Clementine nodded. Molly slowly rolled the shirt up Clementine's body, stopping when the teen in question gasped sharply. She continued until the shirt was sitting a couple of centimetres above the wound. </p><p>The bullet had ripped apart the flesh and buried itself deep into Clem's gut. The skin around the edge was torn and jagged, some of the skin was sinking into the wound. Molly poked and prodded at the wound; Clementine's breaths quickened as she eventually snuck her hand into the hole. She pushed apart the muscle and found the bullet. The dark-skinned girl squirmed and yelped in pain as Molly stuck her fingers further in. The blonde grasped her finger around the bullet and roughly yanked it out. Clementine cried and her breathing relaxed. </p><p>"Got it." She spoke triumphantly, tossing the bloody bullet over her shoulder. Louis and Violet, especially Clementine, all sighed in relief. AJ cocked his head at Clementine's injury. </p><p>"So that's what being shot is like." </p><p>"Sure is, buddy," Clementine responded. </p><p>"Yeah, I think I'm gonna avoid being shot." </p><p>Clementine couldn't help the sharp laugh and she instantly winced in pain. "Ah fuck! Don't... Don't make me laugh." </p><p>"The funny thing?" Louis began, gesturing to Molly, who was kneeling beside the fire again. "This isn't even the worse part."</p><p>The girl laying on the table groaned. "Oh God, please don't remind me." </p><p>Just then, Ruby and Aasim arrived, bandages and antibiotics in hand. "We got 'em," Aasim stated, Ruby nodding beside him. The only adult took note of that.</p><p>"Hey, Guys! Can you pin her down again? We gotta do this quick!" Molly yelled across the courtyard. Everyone nodded, holding her down in the same position as last time. "Ready?"</p><p>Clementine breathed out nervously and gave a shaky thumbs up. Molly grasped the handle of the hot knife and dashed across the yard. She quickly pushed the flat side of the glowing blade against the wound. Clementine <em>screamed</em>. It was guttural and painful. The skin around the bullet hole fizzled and the wet blood bubbled, boiling like it was in a kettle. As the knife's glow began to dim, Molly pushed down even harder. With a final hiss, she retracted the knife. </p><p>The edges of the wound were severely burnt, but the bleeding had significantly slowed.</p><p>"Bandage." She demanded. Ruby gave her the white roll and helped the other kids prop the now unconscious Clementine up. Molly wrapped the bandages around there teenager's midsection. One, two, three times.</p><p>"Antibiotics."</p><p>Ruby handed some to Molly, who gave them to Clementine. The blonde sighed contentedly when Clementine swallowed them instead of choking on them. "Now we wait and hope that we weren't too late."</p><p>Violet nodded. "It did take us a couple hours to get back." </p><p>As the others all eventually left Clementine, Molly couldn't help but notice Violet's lingering gaze. She smirked at her when their eyes met. The green-eyed blonde blushed and broke eye contact, deciding to sit down next to Tenn, all waiting for Omar and Mitch to come back from hunting. Molly sat down on the dirt, her back resting against the foot of the sturdy table. Her coffee brown eyes eventually shut and she drifted off to a peaceful slumber. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, in case you didn't know, Cauterisation helps seal your blood vessels. It's kinda cool and disgusting at the same time. I also searched up gunshot wounds to help describe what it looked like and...shit. Don't get shot kids, seriously. Real-life is not like an action movie. </p><p>Also, don't search it up if you're squeamish.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The beginning of the long road to recovery</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Can't forget about Rosie." She added, trying to distract herself and failing immediately when Clementine smiled at her.</p><p>"As if."</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What the <em>hell</em> is she doing back!" A voice called out angrily. "And who the fuck is that women!" </p><p>"Mitch... Calm down, we don't have to shout at each other." </p><p>"<em>Calm down!</em> " He turned on the other voice. "For fucksakes... Omar! We voted her and AJ out and they come back with some random!" </p><p>Molly sighed, she was having a good dream too. She slowly pushed herself up to her feet and rolled her shoulders. It was early into the night and empty bowls were resting on the tables. She looked at Clementine - who was still unconscious -  and groaned. Of course, she was the only one to be woken up by their screaming match. "Damn. can't a woman get her beauty sleep..."</p><p>"Oh look! She's up, why don't we ask her?" The voice that first woke her, Mitch, yelled. He marched up to her, put his forearm around her neck and pushed her back against the wall.</p><p>"Who the hell are you?" He spat, pushing her harder against the wall.</p><p>"Get your hands off me." She growled, glaring at him.</p><p>"And why would I do that?" </p><p>Molly shot her knee up into his groin. He flinched and she swept his legs with her foot. Mitch fell and hit the ground. "That's why."</p><p>The boy and the floor groaned as the boy who was on lookout duty earlier rushed over to him. Molly looked at the other kids, all stood next to each other. </p><p>"Uh... Hi?" She awkwardly waved. She cleared her throat. "Um... I'm... I'm Molly."</p><p>Ruby raised an eyebrow at her and then shook her head. She gestured to Clementine. "And to think you were so confident when you came in wit' her." </p><p>Molly defensively crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah... I don't do crowds. Never been a people person."</p><p>"It shows. It really, really does," Louis responded. "I cannot emphasize how much it shows anymore. Like I ju-"  </p><p>"Yeah, we get it, Louis." Violet snapped. Louis placed a hand weakly on his chest and gave the female beside him a hurt look. She rolled her eyes at him. "God, you're so dramatic. I'm going to sleep, we can sort out this," The blonde pointed at Molly, Clementine and AJ. "Tomorrow. When I can be fucked."</p><p>Violet stalked off to the dorms, Louis called out to her. "Like that's ever gonna happen!"</p><p>He got a middle finger in return. Smirking, he turned around to face the only blonde female left in the courtyard. "So, looks like we're deciding what to do with you three tomorrow." </p><p>Molly nodded. </p><hr/><p>Who'd of thought she'd ever end up in a place with another belltower? Molly grinned slightly as she looked out at the seemingly endless amount of trees from her vantage point. The leaves had just begun to grow back, signalling to her that it was spring. Sighing once again, she brought out Hilda. She had taken loads of damage over the years. Whether it be from just plain wear and tear or the constant resharpening of the blades, it was going to break soon. She knew she would be disappointed when it does eventually break, the weapon had been incredibly useful over the years. Especially when it came to climbing. It was her most handy tool whenever she would scavenge around in the cities. No-one goes there anymore so the only real threat was the walkers. </p><p>But they weren't even a real threat these days. Most of them had decomposed after the first few years of the apocalypse, leaving their population to slowly dwindle. An age without walkers was seeming more likely than ever these days. The only real issue with going into cities anymore was a building's structural integrity. With no upkeep, buildings were just crumbling. One time she got lucky. </p><p>She had just jumped out of a building and was residing on the roof of another when the building beside had fallen. The apartment building had just randomly collapsed and that was when she decided to stay the hell away from tall buildings. Instead she looted house with three floors at most.</p><p>"Can't stay away from belltowers can you?" A taunting voice from below called. Molly chuckled good-naturedly and walked to the other side of the tower. She looked down at Clementine, who was looking up at her. </p><p>"Guess I can't, huh. What are you doing up and about? Shouldn't you be resting?" </p><p>"Well, I <em>should</em> be, but those tables are really fucking uncomfortable."</p><p>Molly snorted. "Guess that makes sense. Why didn't you just go to one of the dorms?" She pointed at the dormitories with her thumb.</p><p>"Because no-one moved me there. Seriously, you'd think they would show some pity at the very least." Clementine said back, her voice not at all serious.</p><p>"Violet did."</p><p>"Really? Why?" </p><p>"Because she was worried about you."</p><p>"Yeah, but why?" </p><p><em>God, </em>Molly thought, <em>how dense can you be</em>. "I don't know, ask her." </p><p>"Later," Clementine responded. "I'll ask her later." </p><p>"To what? Marry you?" </p><p>Clementine's face instantly ignited in a red glow. "N-no, not like that!" </p><p>Molly smirked at the brunette's reaction. <em>Good, she likes Violet back.</em> Her gaze fell onto the bra strap running across the brunette's shoulder. Then it hit her. <em>Damn, she's grown since I've last seen her.</em> </p><p>"Um, yeah. I'd hope so."</p><p><em>Shit. </em>"Just making an observation. The last time I saw you, you were nine." </p><p>Clementine smiled at her. "Whatever you say, grandma." </p><p>"What did you just say?" Molly snapped, instantly replying to the jab. </p><p>"You're acting like my grandma before the shit hit the fan. You're not going to give me a cookie as well, are you?" </p><p>"You little shit! I'm not old!" </p><p>"Oh, yeah? How old are you?" </p><p>She was twenty-four when the dead started walking, and it had been eight years since then, so she would be... thirty-two...</p><p>"Fuck. I am old." </p><p>Clementine laughed. "Don't worry about it, I was the same when I figured out my age." </p><p>Molly lightly shook her head. The wind going through her short and dirty yellow hair was relaxing.</p><p>"Where's AJ?" She eventually asked. "He sticks to you like glue." </p><p>"He's sleeping, I hope. The kid needs it, badly." </p><p>"So do you." Molly pointed out. Clementine cocked her head at the blonde. Her curly brown hair sticking out from under her hat.</p><p>"And what about you? How much sleep did you get?" She asked, raising her eyebrow once again at the woman above her.</p><p>"Enough," Molly responded tightly, her jaw clenched shut. </p><p>Clementine gave her an unimpressed look. "I heard what happened last night. You didn't get enough sleep."</p><p>"Wait. You were awake?" </p><p>"Yep," The brunette responded, popping the 'p' and her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I couldn't be bothered. I was tired." </p><p>"So was I..." Molly mumbled under her breath. Somehow, Clementine could hear her.</p><p>"Yeah, but you made the mistake of standing up."</p><p>Molly rolled her eyes. Clementine did have a point, but it wasn't like she was going back to sleep afterwards anyway. "So, what did you want?" </p><p>"I wanted to say thanks. for, you know, saving my life and all that. So thank you."</p><p>The blonde warmly smiled at her. "Don't thank me, thank Lee." </p><p>"Lee?" Clementine asked, confused but also a bit sad. Her brown eyes were wide. </p><p>"Yeah, he asked me to find you before he... yeah." </p><p>"Oh," Clementine sounded disappointed. <em>Did she think I meant Lee was alive when I told her to thank Lee?  Shit, I probably should've worded that better. </em>Molly mused.</p><p>"Well I'm still gonna thank you anyway, you didn't have to spend the last eight years searching for me."</p><p>"I made a promise, Clem. I don't break promises. Never have, never will."  </p><p>Clementine slowly nodded. She stretched and instantly winced. The girl placed a hand on her stomach. "I need a new shirt..."</p><p>"And a new jacket." </p><p>The brunette winced. "I liked that jacket."</p><p>"I liked my hoodie but I swapped it for this." Molly gestured to her new attire. A black hoodie with bright yellow accents.</p><p>"It suits you," Clementine complemented. "Still have that face mask?" </p><p>Molly barked out a laugh. "No, I ditched the thing when I realised that walker blood doesn't actually do anything if it gets in our mouths or noses."</p><p>"Really? I've always been scared of getting it in cuts and what-not." Her eyes were showing nothing but relief. </p><p>Molly once again smiled at her. "Funny story on how I figured it out. Wanna hear it?" </p><p>"I've got nothing better to do, so go for it." </p><p>Molly nodded and began retelling her story. "Well, I was sleeping in an apartment-" </p><p>"Hold on. An apartment building? You went into the cities?" Disbelief was in her tone. </p><p>"Yeah, they're safer than you'd think. Nobody goes in them so the only threat is the walkers, but if you stay on the roofs you'll be fine."</p><p>"Huh, who'd of thought," Clementine mused simply.</p><p>"Me," Molly deadpanned. "Can I finish my story now?" She asked, annoyed.</p><p>Clementine nodded meekly. The blonde stared at her for a brief moment before opening her mouth again. "As I was saying, I was sleeping in an apartment building when a walker jumped me. It somehow snuck in. I, understandably, panicked and jammed the closest thing next to me into its head." Clementine went to open her mouth.</p><p>"I stabbed it with a pencil," Molly swiftly cut in. "Anyway... I screamed as I stabbed it, it was a very girly scream by the way, and some of its blood got in my mouth. It tastes the same as our blood, had the same metallic taste, everything. After its blood got in my mouth, I thought I was dead, so I decided to drink all the alcohol I had saved up over the years. It was a lot. I passed out and woke up two days later and I was fine, apart from having a killer hangover of course."</p><p>Clementine gaped at her. She closed her mouth and re-opened it rapidly. "You mean to tell me, that you drank enough alcohol to knock you out for two days, and didn't die."</p><p>Molly smirked at her. "Sure did, I have a fucking iron stomach kid." </p><p>"You sure do. I couldn't even stomach a full bottle before throwing up."</p><p>Just then, the doors to the admin building burst open. The kids all flooded out of it, filling the courtyard. </p><p>"You should be lyin' down, Clementine." Ruby tutted, unimpressed. </p><p>"That's what I told her!" Molly called, still in the belltower, a teasing tone evident in her voice. Clementine groaned. </p><p>"So, how'd the second vote go?" Clementine asked, worry in her eyes.  </p><p>Ruby sighed. "Violet wanted to tell ya. I've gotta get goin' anyhow. Those fish don't catch themselves." </p><p>The dark-skinned girl nodded and Ruby walked away. She turned to look at Molly, who looked at Violet and then winked at Clementine. </p><p>Clementine's face went dark red.</p><hr/><p>Clementine scanned the yard and found Violet, exactly where Molly looked. The blonde was sat cross-legged underneath a tree, hiding away from the world by sticking in the shade. She was fiddling with a stick, makeshift arrowheads beside her. Her mouth was moving, probably swear words if Clementine knew her as well as she thought she did. Shaking her head, Clementine approached. </p><p>"Shit," Violet swore, one of the arrowheads had grazed her finger. </p><p>"Hello," Clementine waved. Violet looked at her.</p><p>"Um... H-Hey. What do you want?" </p><p>Clementine looked at her strangely. "Ruby sent me, said you wanted to talk to me about the vote."</p><p>"Did she? Weird," Her green eyes landed on the wound in Clementine's gut. "How are you holding up?"</p><p>She winced as she sat down opposite Violet. "To be honest, could be better." </p><p>"Well, you did get shot in the stomach." </p><p>"Really? Thank you, Sherlock Holmes." </p><p>Violet smirked at her. "Anyway, you wanted to know how the poll went, yeah?"</p><p>"If you wouldn't mind." Clementine watched as Violet placed a newly created arrow next to her folded legs.</p><p>"It's fine, I don't mind," Violet sat up, her back resting against the wall. "We still don't know what to do with Molly, Mitch wants her gone but I just think its because someone finally gave him a reality check. But You can stay." </p><p>Before Clementine could even begin to comprehend what she said, she quickly started talking again. "But only until you're healed. After that... Well..."</p><p>"We'll be sending you to your death," She finished, grimacing. Her words spat out bitterly. "The bastards didn't even let me explain why you should stay!"</p><p>"Easy, Vi. I get it." </p><p>Violet looked at her. "Why are you so calm about this? They want to kick you out."</p><p>"Well, you said until I've recovered, yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah?" The blonde answered, unsure on where Clementine was going.</p><p>"I have at least two weeks to win everyone over." </p><p>Violet stared at Clementine blankly. She loved this girl. "If you're going to do that, don't bother with Mitch. He's being a hardass. Let him build up his pride again. He didn't like getting his ass kicked in front of everyone by Molly last night. It also doesn't help that he hates your guts more than that bullet did." </p><p>Clementine nodded, grinning at her.</p><p>"Also, don't bother with Tenn or Aasim. They want you to stay. Just maybe stay on their good side, in case they change their mind." </p><p>The brunette once again nodded. "Okay, so that leaves Louis, Omar, Ruby and Willy I have to impress."</p><p>"Honestly, Willy will probably be the hardest to convince. He and Mitch are thick as thieves."</p><p>"And Louis?" </p><p>"I... Don't know. He was on the fence last night. I don't think he truly wants you gone, he's just still a bit pissed off at Marlon. Maybe leave him alone for a couple days?" Violet offered. She picked another stick up off the ground and started to work on another arrow. "Omar is firmly in the no category. Although he is pretty great friends with Louis so that might be why. He's never really had an opinion of his own before. I swear that dude has no like no character."</p><p>Clementine chuckled. "I guess I'll start with Louis and then Omar. I'll charm Ruby with my pure beauty and amazing personality. Once she gets back, of course." </p><p>Violet couldn't help but nod in agreement to all three of her statements. A small blush started to creep up her face. "Can't forget about Rosie." She added, trying to distract herself and failing immediately when Clementine smiled at her.</p><p>"As if."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Damn, and I thought the last chapter was dialogue-heavy. This entire chapter was just dialogue.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Piano</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Because I've been updating more than a celebrity on Instagram... I think I should mention that I'm taking a lil' break from writing. Don't want to burn myself out and all that jazz. Got school work to focus on now as well. </p><p>Like, seriously, my school are cracking down on it now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clementine pushed open the doors of the admin building, leaving Molly's watchful eye. The vote had, admittedly, not gone as well as she hoped. She was glad she could stay and have time to recover before being thrown back into the wild, where everything was out to kill her, why wouldn't she? But she was still disappointed nonetheless. Her ears caught the sound of quiet music, Louis was playing on his piano again. She approached the door and sighed. How does she open up with talking to him? While it would be wise to leave him alone, he was as Violet said, "On the fence". Meaning if someone were to push him, mainly Mitch, toward the 'forcing her out' side, he would probably be against her staying when the time eventually came for her to leave. Sighing once again, she pushed open the heavy wooden door. It creaked as she opened it and Louis immediately stopped playing.</p><p>His fingers hovered hesitantly above the piano's black and white keys. He let his hands fall to his and he turned to look at her. His normally tidy hair was messy and hastily done. His eyes were dark and baggy. He rubbed his face tiredly when he saw Clementine. The girl in question subconsciously rubbed her hand over where the scar on her arm lay. Something she had developed after it got mauled by a dog. Clementine coughed, hand in front of her mouth.</p><p>'Hi." She tried.</p><p>It didn't work.</p><p>"What'd you want." Louis bluntly asked. His tone was flat and monotone, a far cry from what it normally is.</p><p>"I... I just wanted to see how you were doing, that's all."</p><p>Louis looked at her. He shook his head and looked back at his piano. "Pretty good. Considering my best friend had his brains blown out by a six-year-old." He replied indifferently. His voice contained hints of bitterness.</p><p>Clementine looked down guiltily. "You didn't get enough sleep last night, did you?"</p><p>Louis barked out a sour laugh. "And what gave it away? Every time I close my eyes all I can see is Marlon, defeated. He was beaten and AJ just... He just shot him, Clem. What did you teach him that could ever lead up to that?"</p><p>The brunette glanced back up at him, hurt flashed across her amber eyes. "Evidently, the wrong lessons." She eventually muttered.</p><p>"No shit." Louis shook his head once again and started to play the piano again. It was a song Clementine had never heard before. When she was younger she much preferred punk rock to whatever the hell was popular at the time. She walked up to Louis and stopped beside him. She went to place her hand on his shoulder but hesitated. She let it drop as he turned around.</p><p>"Do you like the music? It's a song I've been trying to learn for ages but I just can't get this one part down." He asked. He sounded sombre and a bit nervous.</p><p>Clementine sat down next to him and replied. "I think it sounds great, why?"</p><p>"It's nothing. I just... Ever since Marlon was..." He struggled to find the word. "Gunned. Ever since Marlon was gunned down. I've been having these thoughts whenever I do anything. 'Am I doing enough?', 'Do people like my music, my jokes?'. They all laugh at my jokes but... I just can't help but think they're lying. Like Marlon was with the twins. He managed that for a year! He lied about the twins for a whole year!" He shook his head. "What else are the others hiding...?"</p><p>Clementine's eyes instantly softened. She went through this too, after Jane hid AJ in the snow. She didn't even trust Kenny... "Look, Louis, I'm sure they are being honest with you. Granted, I only met you all like three days ago, but... You guys seem like you have a strong bond between all of you. And yeah, Marlon broke everyone's trust, He even broke my misplaced trust."</p><p>"But...?"</p><p>"Sometimes there are people out there like Marlon, people that are purely out for themselves despite what they say. But I know your friends care for you. They'll point out if you do something wrong, they'll <em>help</em> you."</p><p>Louis sighed, he slouched forward. His hands rested on his lap. "Marlon wouldn't."</p><p>Clementine sent him a curious look.</p><p>"Marlon. If we messed up he would berate us. Punish us. I... I avoided it by being a coward. I hid from him and let the others fill my place, just to avoid being yelled at when we got back. Whether it is not having enough food or being too late... I just...I made my friends suffer so I didn't have too." He placed his head in his head and sobbed violently.</p><p>"Clem, I-I don't know what to think or feel anymore. My thoughts are so jumbled and..." He breathed out, tears running down his face.</p><p>Clementine wrapped her arm around him and pulled the boy into a sideways hug. She rested her head on his. He grasped around her, pulling her in tighter. His tears were starting to stain to Clementine's shirt when Omar walked in. He seemed shocked. Clementine brought her finger up to her lips and shushed him. He nodded and left the room, closing the door with a soft click.</p><p>Louis separated from her and sniffled. "I... Um... Thanks, Clementine."</p><p>"Don't sweat it, seriously, I don't want any more shit on my shirt."</p><p>Louis grinned weakly at her. She grinned back.</p><p>"Friends?" He offered his hand.</p><p>"Friends." She took it.</p><hr/><p>Clementine huffed as she sat down on the tree trunk opposite Violet again. 'Things with Louis went well."</p><p>"Really?" Violet responded, turning her attention away from the stack of arrows and onto her.</p><p>"Yeah, we're friends again." The brunette swept a tuft of curly hair out of her eyes. She smiled warmly at the blonde sat in front of her. Violet coughed and looked away, pink already spreading to her cheeks.</p><p>"Are you alright?" Clementine worriedly asked.</p><p>Violet waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just had something caught in my throat, that's all."</p><p>Clementine didn't seem convinced but let it go anyway. "Anyway... I've gotta go talk with Omar now."</p><p>Violet nodded as Clementine stood back up. She watched as the girl walked away to Omar.</p><p>A small, dumb grin was plastered onto Violet's face. She honestly couldn't help but watch the dark-skinned girl. It was something in the way she held herself, a constant air of confidence. She wasn't overconfident but she was confident enough for people to know not to fuck with her.</p><p>"You're not doing a very good job at hiding your feelings, you know that right?" Molly asked, suddenly appearing behind her.</p><p>"W-what'd you mean?"</p><p>"You've been staring. For three minutes." Molly instantly replied, leaning against the brick wall. Her arms crossed and eyebrow raised. </p><p>Violet gawked. "No way."</p><p>Molly laughed. "You were, honestly, ask the kid over there." </p><p>The woman gestured by nodding her head at a boy with a burn scar running up the side of his face. </p><p>"Who? Tennessee?"</p><p>"That the kid with the scar?" </p><p>"Yeah." </p><p>"Then ask Tennesse, he's been watching you stare like a drooling idiot for longer than me." </p><p>Violet's face lit up like a Christmas tree. She ran a hand through her messy blonde hair. "Am I really that obvious..." She eventually groaned. </p><p>"Yup." </p><p>"... I'm a gay disaster."</p><p>"I'm gonna be blunt, kid. Just talk to her. Small talk-" </p><p>"I fucking hate small talk. Don't come up to me and ask what the fucking weather is when we both damn well know you want to ask another question instead. What's the point?" </p><p>Molly cleared her throat and started talking again. " Anyways... Just talk to her. I know, I'm not the best person to be telling you this, my love life isn't exactly great itself but...."</p><hr/><p>"Abel!" Lilly called, the metal walls of the room echoing her shout. Abel snapped awake, the makeshift bed groaned in response. He sighed, rubbed his eyes with his one remaining hand and let his head hit the hard pillows once again. While the bed wasn't the most comfortable, it was a lot better than the cold floor. </p><p>"For fucksakes, Abel! Roll call! You have to be there!" </p><p>"Can't you just cover for me?" He called back. "I mean, I've lost my fucking arm!" </p><p>"We've all lost something... Doesn't mean we can slack off," Lilly responded, stepping into the light. The scowl on her face was visible through the steel bars separating them. "Now get your lazy ass up, the boss is radioing for us."</p><p>"Hehe? Really? The boss? Now of all times?" Abel could hear the eye-roll. The woman eventually stalked off, leaving the disabled man to his thoughts. Not seeing much choice, he got up. The metal of the barred door was rusted. It had become a bit of a tradition for the forty-six-year-old to pick off the stubborn flakes of rust that refused to fall. He rubbed the palm of his hand over the bald patch that resided on his head as he pushed the door open and stepped out of his sleeping quarters.</p><p>The boat swayed gently. Ever since they had docked a lot of shit had gone down. He lost his arm to a fucking child <em>and </em>her fucking child. Oh, the things he would do once he got his hands... hand on them. Aggravated, he marched upstairs. </p><p>"Minerva." He greeted, nodding at the redhead waiting for him. She glared at him. </p><p>"Lilly sent me to make sure you got up." </p><p>"Course she did. You never want to have a chat with me, do ya?" He taunted, smirking sinisterly at her. </p><p>Minerva went to open her mouth but quickly shut it again. "C'mon, we'll be late." </p><p>"Awww," He whined. "We've been late before." </p><p>The redhead kept walking.</p><p>"Fine," He growled. "That's twice as much punishment tomorrow. Twice as long. Twice as hard. Twice as-"</p><p>His head rocketed back into a wall. He rubbed his sore jaw and glared at the fuming Minerva. The girl who had just punched him.</p><p>"Make that triple." He bit angrily. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If there was any doubt about The Delta being good people, that should all be gone now. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Pretender</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Abel followed Minerva through the door, ducking so he could fit. The damp room was filled with the fourteen other soldiers from the Delta and Abel sighed as he sat down in his seat, Yonatan on his right and Dorian on his left. Lilly would be up his ass later for being two minutes late. He watched as the woman in question walked up to the radio and changed the frequency. The old piece of machinery crackled to life as a gravelly voice echoed throughout the room. Masculine. </p><p>"How are operations going, Lieutenant?" The voice said, bouncing off the metallic walls. Abel shifted in his small seat. He could remember having to implement the furniture and how much of a challenge it was to organise it all so everyone could fit in.</p><p>Yonatan leaned in toward him and whispered into his ear. "How's the arm doin', pal?" He asked. </p><p>Abel hid his tiny chuckle. "Pretty well all things considered. Can't wait to get my hands on those brats."</p><p>"Oh, I bet." Was the bearded man's response. Abel felt a sharp nudge to his side. Dorian. </p><p>"Can y'all shut up!" She whisper shouted. "This is important." </p><p>Lilly nodded at the black woman appreciatively before turning to speak to the radio. "We're preparing to go and capture those kids, Sir. We're just waiting to get enough wood to make the travel back. No point in capturing them and having to wait two weeks before we can leave." </p><p>The voice tutted. "I told ya, that boat ain't worth it. We have vehicles that could do the same thing and do it better." </p><p>Lilly closed her eyes and breathed out slowly and evenly. She was irritated and Abel was reminded why he liked their leader so much. "In all due respect, <em>Sir</em>," Lilly started. "Gas is a commodity these days and wood is everywhere." </p><p>The man on the radio grunted and started talking again. "Any injuries?"</p><p>"One," Lilly said, making eye contact with the one-armed man. "Abel."</p><p>"Abel, huh? Did Cain do it?" The teasing tone in his voice was evident but the joke was expected. Abel had dealt with being teased about his name all his life. It wasn't anything new. He rolled his eyes. </p><p>Lilly walked around the radio, a smirk fresh on the edge of her lips. "Walker, actually," She replied. "He now only has one arm. He won't be fighting on the frontlines anymore, Sir." </p><p>"Interesting, I knew a guy who lost an arm once. The dude had a... weird sense of humour but it helped keep spirits up. I had to kill him though, the guy was incompetent and putting everyone else at risk. Couldn't even get two girls to pick crops," There was a brief moment of silence. "One of the girls wasn't too happy about it though, Clementine, I believe was her name. She;s definitely a leader, strong of will and character. If you find her, watch out. She's the reason Howe's fell and she was only eleven at the time." </p><p>Lilly chuckled. "About that 'girl', don't worry. I put a bullet in her." </p><p>She could hear Carver's smirk through the radio.</p><hr/><p>"Clementine!" AJ whined, jumping up and down. "Why can't I?" </p><p>Clementine huffed and leaned back in her bed. She was back in her dorm room. "Just because Molly goes up there all the time doesn't mean you can." </p><p>"But why?" </p><p>"Molly's good at climbing, and you little guy, are not." The brunette responded dismissively, taking her cap off and resting the back of her head against the pillow. She heard AJ groan and run out of the room with an irritated huff, probably to go explore. Clementine sighed, already dreading the day where he becomes a teenager. The door creaked open and she instinctively shot up. The teenager winced. Violet was stood in the doorway, her dirty blonde hair covering one of her green eyes. She was balancing two bowls of food, one in each hand.</p><p>"Sorry..." She muttered apologetically.</p><p>"Don't worry about it," Clementine smiled at her and eyed the bowls quizzically. "What is it?" She asked. </p><p>Violet walked and sat down at the end of the bed. "Rabbit stew, original I know," Clementine nodded and kicked her legs off the side of the bed. The blonde slid a bowl across the sheets. The spoon in it swished around carelessly, splashing some of the contents out of the bowl. "Whoops..."</p><p>Clem smirked and picked the bowl up nonetheless. "Why are you eating with me anyway?" </p><p>"Because I want to," Violet responded instantly, putting a spoonful of stew in her mouth. She swallowed it. "Besides, I don't really want to deal with Mitch's attitude at the moment. He and Willy won't shut up about throwing you out. I think it's starting to piss everyone off. Molly included."</p><p>"Makes sense," The dark-skinned girl agreed. "Molly's never been a fan of dealing with emotions. From what I know about her anyway." </p><p>Violet looked at her briefly before turning back to her half-eaten stew and placing it beside her. "I've been meaning to ask," She began. "Who was that woman, Lilly was it?"</p><p>Clementine nodded. "We used to be friends, a long time ago. Back when Lee was still..." She coughed, "She and Kenny would get in constant arguments and honestly, it was really fucking annoying." </p><p>Green eyes met amber. "Sounds it." </p><p>"Trust me, it was. Anyway, after she lost her dad she changed. Started getting paranoid about everything." She inhaled deeply. "Someone in our group was stealing our supplies and giving them to bandits in exchange for his friend's safety. Lilly caught wind of it and sent Lee to find out who it was. We got attacked by bandits shortly after so we had to leave." </p><p>Clementine looked at Violet sadly. "Lilly began questioning everyone and it ended with her shooting a guy, Doug. He was really sweet and nice to everyone. Lee kicked her out of the group after that. It was the last I saw of her." </p><p>The blonde nodded. "I believe you," She paused. "Look, Clem... I'm worried about Lilly coming back. Someone like her wouldn't be interested in us without a reason."</p><p>"Hey," Clementine placed a hand on hers. "This place is a fortress. Seriously, you have really high, solid walls and one entrance." </p><p>Violet recoiled her hand and chuckled nervously. "About that one entrance thing... We don't. There's one around back as well, in the part of the school we don't go in. Mitch and Willy were testing bombs and blew a giant hole in the wall. It got swarmed by a fuck load of walkers about an hour later. They're probably still there."</p><p>The brunette blinked. "And this is the first I've heard about the school being unsafe because...?" </p><p>"It... Never occurred to any of us to warn you, we assumed Marlon had told you about it."</p><p>"Violet," Clementine spoke sternly and coldly, "I have an adventurous six-year-old with me. Does that not ring any bells..." A moment of silence as a thought erupted to the front of Clementine's mind. "Shit!" </p><p>Clementine shot out of the bed, the stew cluttering onto the floor. She dashed out of the room, ignoring the hot pain in her stomach and no doubt tearing the stitching. The thought of AJ being in possible danger spurring her on like man on. a mission. Which, in a way, she was. It had become a habit of AJ's to explore as a way of blowing off steam, he always kept his guard up while doing it though. But... In a place where he thought he was safe? She couldn't dare think about what would happen to him. Her child. her little Goofball...</p><p>She rounded the corner, Violet hot on her heels, calling out to the brunette to stop. Clementine ignored her and continued pressing forward. She stopped however upon reaching a makeshift barrier, a wall of loosely placed desks and old chairs with a bed frame thrown in for good measure. A small hole lay in the obstacle, big enough for a child to fit through. Clementine pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She wasn't fitting through there. Not anymore at least, maybe eight years ago she would've. Violet arrived beside her, panting for breath. "What was that?!" She shrieked loudly.</p><p>"AJ would fit through that hole, wouldn't he?" She asked, pointing at the offending gap in question. Dread settled over Violet's skin like pins and needles.</p><p>"Shit..." The blonde muttered, mouth agape. Violet rested her hands against the barrier and nodded in Clementine's direction. "C'mon, let's move this fucking thing."</p><p>Clementine nodded and placed her shoulder up against it. On the count of three, the two girls pushed the barrier. The loose furniture toppled and fell out of place, colliding with the ground with numerous loud bangs. Violet winced at the noise. It was louder than Louis on a bad day. She watched as Clementine took powerful strides past her and into unknown territory. A cold, determined look settled on her face, replacing the usual happiness. It was a side that Violet didn't know existed on the other teen. </p><p>The floor was littered with strewn paper and old textbooks. Dusty awards sat in the glass cabinets and little speckles of light filtered through the muddy and dirty windows, lighting up the small patches of weeds and grass growing through the cracked wooden floorboards. Cobwebs lay silently in the corners. The hallway was thoroughly abandoned. Clementine's heavy combat boots landed and a cloud of dust sprouted from the floor. Violet let out a low whistle upon seeing the hallway. "Damn, we really let this place go." She quickly fell back into silence when Clementine glared at her. "Right, sorry. Let's find AJ."</p><p>Each footstep the two took was deafeningly loud in the silent hallways, bouncing off the walls like a ball. The further they went into the building, the darker it got. They walked for about five minutes before Clementine held up her hand, stopping Violet in her tracks. She pointed around the corner, her brows furrowed. Violet risked a peak, it was a walker, but different. Mushrooms seemed to have grown on it, encasing its head in a beartrap like vice. It clawed wildly and blindly at the air, trying to hit something that doesn't exist. The blonde looked at in confusion as it clicked ominously from its disgusting mandible mouth. A thin trail of saliva dripping onto the floor. </p><p>"What's that?" Clementine mouthed.</p><p>"I don't know." Violet mouthed back, concerned. <em>Were those spores?</em>      </p><p>"We need to get around it." </p><p>Violet frowned. "I don't like the look of those... things in the air. It looks like it coming from the fucker. We probably shouldn't breathe them in."</p><p>Clementine nodded and hummed thoughtfully. The clicking got louder and its head snapped towards them, staring in their direction. It let out a strangled scream and charged at them, stumbling over every step. Eyes wide, the brunette pulled out her knife as the walker got closer. She went to stab it in the head but her knife was soon knocked away. Whatever this walker was, it was stronger than the normal rotting corpses. It pounced on her and knocked her to the ground, her head rocked against the flooring as the walker's sharp claws raked across her face. She gritted her teeth as Violet's meat cleaver hit it in the back of the head. Slicing into the fungus and killing it. </p><p>Grunting with effort, Clementine threw it off her and stood. "Fucking Hell..." She muttered. "That thing has supersonic hearing, damn..."</p><p>Violet looked at her worryingly. "It didn't bite you, did it?" </p><p>"No, it didn't." </p><p>A breath of relief escaped the blonde's mouth. "Good." A pause. "We need to name it." </p><p>"What?" </p><p>"We can't very call it a walker when it very clearly isn't. I mean, the thing has that..." She pointed at the fungus on its head,  "Shit growing on it." </p><p>"How about a clicker?" Clementine responded, "That seemed to be about all it was doing. Clicking. We call the others walkers and all they do is just walk."</p><p>Violet didn't hesitate to agree with the name. Clementine was speaking the truth after all.    </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>'Surprised Last of Us noises' </p><p>Seriously, this will be the only Last of Us thing to show up in this story. I just felt like spicing the story up slightly and I've always wondered how Clem would react to a clicker.</p><p>Also, regarding Carver... I did say this was an AU in the tags, didn't I?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Solidarity? Not Really.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ayyyyyy! I got around to finally updating this!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Molly huffed from her position in the tree, overlooking the entirety of Ericson's. The setting sun was drenching the school in a thick orange duvet. She washed a hand down her face tiredly. Her coffee brown eyes felt heavy and a stinging twinge danced irritably in the corner of them. She rubbed them and yawned, her mouth opening wide. Blinking, she watched in keen interest as Clementine and Violet barreled out of the dorm blocks. Clementine was holding AJ in a deathly strong grip. Her face, however, wasn't giving any signs of annoyance. Not to AJ at the very least. It was more like a snarling wolf mixed with an overprotective mother hen. </p><p>Which, if Molly was being honest with herself, wasn't a bad way to describe Clementine. The girl didn't seem to rest unless AJ was too. Always prioritising the child's wellbeing over herself. She sighed to herself. She better join the others, see what was going on. Molly planted a hand on the branch and hopped off, landing on the dirt below light as a feather. Her muddied sneakers squelched as she walked through a virtually non-existent puddle.   </p><p>"What's going on?" She asked, noticing Clementine's furrowed brow and pointed glare. </p><p>The teenager's neck snapped to look at her before she cocked her head towards the others. They all looked guilty, apart from Mitch, who was glaring straight back. "These negligent fucks refused to tell me that the school isn't safe. AJ almost died because of them." </p><p>"Maybe you should have been watching him, then," Mitch argued back. </p><p>"Maybe I should knock your fucking teeth out!"</p><p>"I'd like to see you try." Mitch smirked, "How's that gunshot?" </p><p>Clementine glared harder. "A non-factor, dickhead. I can kick your ass with or without it."</p><p>Molly placed a comforting hand on the teenager's shoulder. "Clem... Calm down-" </p><p>"Calm down!" </p><p>"-Why isn't it safe?" She finished. Clementine's jaw clenched into stone. Molly raised a brow to the other children, "Well...?" She prompted. </p><p>Violet sighed and rubbed her arm. Her green eyes were looking at the ground guiltily, "The school. It's infested with walkers. Loads of us died in the first month and we... We never took care of them. We just blocked those parts of the school off and acted like they didn't exist. It was easier that way."</p><p>"Yeah," Clementine breathed, "And AJ went exploring thinking it was safe. None of them fucking told us anything about it. Walkers have been festering in there for God knows how long."</p><p>Molly pinched the bridge of her nose. These kids were hopeless. "Let me get this straight," She said, looking at Violet, "You've been living in this school for what? Eight years? And its been taken over by walkers for pretty much the entire time?"</p><p>Violet winced, "Pretty much..." </p><p>She stared and quickly glanced away, placing her hands on her hips. "Fuckin' Unbelievable..." She muttered to herself, "Were you ever going to clear them out? Because they aren't your friends, not anymore."</p><p>"We never planned to, Marlon thought it would be too much of a risk. He didn't want to lose anyone when we could just block it off safely. We just had to be careful about the amount of noise when inside the building. S'why we are almost always outside." Louis informed, "Fat lot of good he did for protecting people..."</p><p>Molly picked up on the hints of bitterness that sprinkled into his voice upon the mention of Marlon. She still didn't know what he did and she didn't care to either. He was dead. No point on dwelling in the past. She massaged her temples, "How many are there?" </p><p>Now, it was Ruby's turn to speak, "There used to be three hundred-odd of us. So I'd reckon 'bout high two hundreds. We started to clear them out... We gave up. There was just too many. It ain't worth the risk in my opinion." </p><p>"I'm with Ruby on this," Omar interjected, "We probably shouldn't risk anything. Even if most of them should be decayed by now." </p><p>Molly hummed thoughtfully, "I want to get rid of them, but you're right. There's how many of us? Ten? Excluding the dog. Against probably the biggest fucking group of walkers I've ever heard of." </p><p>She watched as Clementine went to open her mouth, pause and growl under her breath. It was clear as day what side Clementine was on, even if she seemed willing to go along with the others. For how little it lasted anyways. The brunette spoke up once again, "I Still don't think we should sit around twiddling our thumbs when we're going to sleep two doors down from a massive fuck off horde, but hey! What do I know?" </p><p>Violet nodded, backing the other teenager up, "You didn't see what we saw in there. We let them go dormant and they only get stronger. The longer we leave them, the more of a threat they become. One of them was producing spores and it was so much faster and stronger than other walkers we've seen." </p><p>"A clicker?" Molly raised a brow. </p><p>"Uh-huh, we found AJ shortly after," Clementine answered. </p><p>"Y-You didn't go into the spores? Did you?" </p><p>"No, we didn't." </p><p>Molly breathed easier, "Thank God, that stuff will kill you. You turn really fucking fast." </p><p>Aasim coughed into his closed fist, "How are clickers created anyway? I-I wanna jot it down." </p><p>"You know-how walkers go all silent and shit. How they just sorta go to sleep? Those are called 'dormant'. When a walker is dormant for too long fungus begins to grow on them, eventually, it grows around their heads. It makes them go blind," Molly informed, "They then develop a form of echolocation to find their way around. A hole forms at the back of their head, just above their neck. Spores start to fly out from there." </p><p>She paused, allowing Aasim to write down what she said. "It's a lot like a vent. If you go in the spores for too long... Well... I don't have to say what happens next. Ideally, you don't want to leave a walker dormant too long. I wonder what happens when you leave a clicker dormant though?"</p><p>"How long does it take for a clicker to be... 'created'?" </p><p>"Seven years. This shit has been going on for eight so your friends in there are all mostly clickers I imagine." </p><p>"Shit..." Clementine muttered, "Would Lee be...?" </p><p>"No," Molly reassured, "I took care of him."</p><p>AJ picked up on Clementine's sadness and clutched her hand tighter. The girl smiled softly at him and squeezed back. Grateful for the silent gesture. Her amber orbs squinted at something on the ground. Molly followed her expression to a barely noticeable puddled of dried blood. Faded, but still staining the earth like an ugly scar. </p><p>Okay. Molly decided, maybe she did need to know what happened with Marlon. She put it to the back of her mind though as in that moment a gunshot boomed loudly in the distance. Curiously, she cocked her head. That did seem more important.</p><p>"We should go see what that was," Molly suggested.</p><p>"Yeah, we should-" Clementine started. </p><p>"No. You're not going anywhere. You still need to recover." </p><p>"But-" </p><p>"It's not like we don't know you're made of tough shit but just sit this one out, yeah? You don't need to prove yourself all the time." </p><p>Clementine darted her gaze, "I just don't like feeling like I could do more..." </p><p>"No-one is expecting you to do more." </p><p>Mitch leered at her, "Speak for yourself." </p><p>"That... That is what I'm doing, yes. You are capable of understanding, yeah? I don't have to knock it into you, do I? Because I mean," She whistled, taunting and humorously, "That sure was embarrassing the last time I did it." </p><p>The male glared at her before snorting and crossing his arms. He turned around, "Whatever... I'm not doing this." </p><p>"You weren't doing anything in the first place!" Molly called out to his retreating form. Mitch ignored her and she smirked in victory. </p><hr/><p>The team had been decided. It was going to be her, Violet, Omar and Aasim going to check out whatever that gunshot was. Molly swiped at the fly that had landed on her wrist. Watching as it flew away in a crazed panic. She snorted at it. Flies are fucking pussies. Quickly, she suppressed her grin as they arrived at a barn. The doors were knocked off their hinges and the embers from a fire remained stamped in the ground. Parts of the barn had fallen off, flattening the bed of grass that they crushed. Green blades wisped and swirled through the gaps in the wood, wrapping around the holes like an overly attached girlfriend. </p><p>"Jesus... Looks like it got hit by a nuke..." Molly murmured to herself.</p><p>Violet nodded her agreement. Her eyes scanned everything before she spoke up, "I think that's where the bullet went." She pointed to the bullet embedded in the wall. </p><p>Molly hummed, strolling over to the bullet hole. "And the gun by the looks of it," She said, picking up a hunting rifle. She scanned the side of the gun, noticing the text engraved on it. Her fingers traced the ink as she read aloud, "'The Delta.' They were here, the people you and Clementine met in the woods." </p><p>Violet crossed her arms and put all her weight on her back foot. "What were they doing though?" </p><p>"I wish I knew. I haven't encountered these guys before. I'm more worried about why they didn't take the gun. Why would they leave it?"</p><p>Omar answered, "This guy might be why."</p><p>Molly craned her neck to see what he was talking about. It was another teenager, he had raven black hair and was slumped against the inside of the barn. Dried blood around his neck and a stab wound in his head. Her brow creased. Why would a dead teenager be why- </p><p>Her thoughts paused as she saw what he was holding. A walker mask. </p><p>"Fuck..." She muttered, "It's a whisperer." </p><p>"A whisperer?" </p><p>Molly nodded, "Yeah... I was one of 'em once. For about a month. I had to get through a warzone and travelling with them was safer. I had to do some... Awful things while with them."  </p><p>"Like...?" Aasim pushed. </p><p>"I'd-I'd rather not," She shook her head. "We need to leave. If there's one whisperer, there's always more."</p><p>Violet frowned, "If you say so." </p><p>"Trust me," Molly said, looking up at the sky, "These guys aren't to be fucked with. They're ruthless and... This wasn't a struggle. This was an execution. The Delta are killing whisperers and if someone can handle the whisperers? I don't want to be anywhere near it."   </p><p>They all shared a look before Aasim spoke up, "How worried should we be? This was pretty close to us." </p><p>"Very," Molly responded simply, cutting straight to the chase, "You should be very fucking worried." </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>R.I.P James.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Wake me up when September ends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Clementine watched as Violet, Aasim, Omar and Molly walked through the rusted gates, a soft chill settling over her skin as they left. She sent a tiny wave goodbye in Violet's direction before slumping onto a picnic bench. Her eyes fell onto AJ and Tenn drawing, their bodies hugging the dirt and their legs swaying gently in the air. The paper was filled with colourful, crazy swirls and the neat lines of detailed portraits. She smirked, Tenn was definitely the better the artist. </p><p>It had been ages since she had seen AJ just be a normal kid for once. It was refreshing but at the same time, oh so terrifying. She knew for a fact that you had to take all the little mercies that the world gives you. You would go insane otherwise. But you can't hold onto it for too long before it rips it away from you again. It could be a horde of the undead, it could be a sudden storm, it could even be people. Bandits, murderers, rapists. Factions setting up with the whole idea of rebuilding the world but constantly at each other's throats. On the brink of war.</p><p>Her heart panged. She had lost loads of people this way. Omid especially. One moment she, him and Christa were joking about what to call Christa's baby and not even five minutes later Omid was dead. Shot by a thief. The thief had even used her pistol to add insult to injury.</p><p>She sighed and for once, she willingly chose to take off her hat. Placing it on the rough wood. She brushed a stray brown curly lock out her eye, tucking it neatly behind her ear. Her attention snapped to Louis as he slid into the seat on the opposite side of the table. </p><p>"You took your hat off." He commented absently, gesturing to the object in question with his bony finger, "Must be serious." </p><p>Clementine chuckled softly, "I guess you could say that. I'm not gonna lie, I'm worried about what Molly will find."</p><p>"I'm sure it will be fine." </p><p>She cracked an uneasy, ironic smirk, "Will it though? I'd love to have your optimism, I really would. But it's always the same. Something will go wrong, I'm just not sure what."</p><p>Louis' forehead creased and he rested both his arms gently on the table, "You're worried about him," He cocked his head in AJ's direction, "aren't you?"</p><p>Her pools of amber softened as AJ tagged Tenn and began running away at his fastest. He was laughing, face more vibrant than it had been in years. She'd do anything to protect it. "Of course I am." She replied defensively, "Why wouldn't I be?"</p><p>Slowly, Louis took a deep breath, "He's all you care about-" </p><p>"Yeah, I don't see your point."</p><p>"You don't care about yourself."</p><p>Clementine froze. She averted her gaze from Louis, "Why should I?"</p><p>"Clem..." </p><p>"Do you know how many people have died because of me?" She asked suddenly, jaw clenched and turning to him. Her voice was strict, leaving no place for arguments. "Loads. More than I can count. I could write a whole fucking list right now but I would run out of paper. Everyone dies and it's always my fault."</p><p>Louis watched her silently. Listening intently. She felt Rosie force herself under the table, brushing past her legs. Draping her dirty fingers down, she ran them through the dog's thick bristles. Rosie's tongue lolled out of her mouth in a happy, slobbery grin.  </p><p>"I'll be damned if I let it happen to him too." She continued. "I lost him twice, I'm not letting it happen again."</p><p>The brunette observed as Louis nodded, "I-If you don't mind me asking, what happened? The first time." </p><p>"Sure you don't want to hear the second? Because that one is... That wasn't my proudest moment." </p><p>Louis shifted, "Why would I want to hear that one?" </p><p>Clementine hid her face in her hands, "I'm not a good person," She looked back up, wisps of desperation playing like mist in the corner of her eyes, "and I need at least someone here to know that. Don't see a reason why it shouldn't be you."</p><p>"If you insist." </p><p>She picked up her hat and stared into the letter sewed on it, "AJ had been taken by bandits, only about nine months after I got him back. They robbed me of everything and beat me to within half-inch an of my life. Broken ribs, broken nose, a black eye. I had to tape my fingers up and everything, it wasn't pretty." She paused, taking the moment to analyse Louis' reaction. His eyes were large, embers of shock fighting with the drops of empathy, "I followed one of their scouts. They were sloppy and he didn't know how to cover his tracks."</p><p>She chuckled, "He had his brother with him. A nine-year-old kid, a bit younger than Tenn." Her eyes softened, brows furrowing into sharp straight lines. "I chopped his hand off and let his older brother eat him alive."</p><p>Louis went bug-eyed and his mouth hung open, refusing to shut. </p><p>"I tortured the older one first, pried out his eye and popped off his knee." Louis looked like he was about to be sick and she didn't blame him, "Like I said," She sounded utterly defeated, "I'm not a good person."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>Clementine slumped, "I wanted to find AJ but... I took it too far." Louis went to open his mouth, "Don't... Please..."</p><p>Louis bit his tongue and she smiled at him sadly. </p><p>"I don't think AJ ever forgave me. According to him, they never laid a finger on him. I..." She choked, "I warned him not to go in the basement and the first thing he does when I turn my back? He goes into the basement and-and all I see is his shaking hands and horrified look and I can see it in his eyes. He's scared of me. Scared of what I did." A lone tear escaped out her eye and dribbled down her cheek, she wiped it away in a hurry, praying that Louis didn't see it. Didn't see her sign of weakness. "I-I don't want to see that look again."</p><p>"For the record," Louis said, a sincere smile on his face, "I don't think he is scared of you." </p><p>"You don't get it. He's not scared of this me, he's scared of the other me. The one where I look in the mirror and don't recognise the person staring right back. I don't ever want to be that person but... It happens anyway." Her empty gaze fell onto the picnic table, "Violet's seen a brief flash of it."</p><p>"What 'bout Vi?" Ruby interjected, sliding beside Clementine. Sparks of confusion played across her feature. "What'd she see?"</p><p>"Oh nothing.-"</p><p>"Me naked," Clementine said suddenly, cutting off Louis, "On accident, o-obviously." She quickly attempted to recover, stammering. </p><p>Ruby smirked, "I don't think Vi was complainin'."</p><p>Clementine flushed red, "What do you mean by that?"</p><p>"You are incredibly dense, anyone ever tell you that?" Ruby deadpanned. The redhead grinned and shook her head, "Anyway, I came over to check your stitches. I think you may have ripped one or two out."</p><p>Clementine looked down, "I don't see any blood."</p><p>"You wouldn't. You're wrapping that jacket around your waist and on top of the bandages." </p><p>She deflated, noticing how Louis had gotten up and sulked away from the table. Probably still processing what she had said, "Do we have to?" She pleaded, turning to face Ruby. </p><p>The other girl sighed and sent her a disapproving look, "Why don't want me to check? It'll leave an ugly scare if you've ripped some out."</p><p>"Wouldn't be my first. I'll add it to the fifteen others."</p><p>Ruby's jaw clenched, "Forget I asked then."</p><p>She winced at the bitterness in her voice and watched as Ruby marched away. It hadn't been her intention the annoy fiery redhead, she just didn't want to waste any more of the school's incredibly limited medicinal supplies. The soft chill of the inky blue night cast an oddly shaped and moving shadow on the ground. It was erupting from somewhere past the school's gate. She frowned, wondering what it could be.  </p><p>She slipped her hat back on and stood with mild difficulty. The bullet wound throbbed in protest at her movement. Hastily, she hobbled over to the gate, resting a hand on her stomach. Her fingers curled around a bar but she could see nothing in the mysterious black of the night. It was simply too dark. The blazing amber in her eyes squinted suspiciously and she pulled out her knife. She unlocked the gate, hearing AJ come up on her side. </p><p>"What're you doing?" AJ asked, cocking his head to look at her.</p><p>"There's something out there, I just don't know what. You coming with?" She responded, pushing open the gate and cringing at the ear-splitting sounds of it grinding against the concrete.</p><p>AJ nodded, "Always." </p><p>She smiled at him and stepped through the open gate. "Don't go too far, we're just gonna do a quick search around. Tell me if you find anything."</p><p>"Got it." The boy confirmed, brushing past her. She watched for a little bit as he inspected the ground. The forest was thick, the bark was rough to touch and the leaves had begun to fall. Autumn had snuck up faster than she had expected. Crisp leaves crunched under the weight of her pitch-black combat boots as she moved further into the forest, blade pointed forward. </p><p>A hustling sound dug into her ears and she snapped her head to look in its direction. A tree branch was wobbling up and down like it was a cartoon. Her mouth formed into a thin, straight line. "AJ," She said, stern and demanding, "Get back inside." She flinched, hearing another cluster of dead leaves, closer to her this time. </p><p>In the corner of her eye, she saw AJ nod and begin walking through the wide-open gate. Suddenly, something landed on her, pushing her onto the ground and sending her knife sprawling. She brought her hands up to cover her face, protect it, and blocked punch after punch. In the short window of opportunity that presented itself, she brought her fist into contact with the attacker's cheek. She watched as the figure toppled off her and into the dirt. She scrawled onto her front and her eyes met AJ's. "Get the others!" She commanded.</p><p>She felt something grab a chunk of her hair and before she knew it, her face had been slammed into the ground. Groaning and feeling the familiar warmth of blood trickle out like a leaky tap, she shot a leg out and caught the attacker in the leg. Her elbow connected with the mysterious person's jaw and she flung them off her. Quickly, she got to her feet and took the little break to analyse the other's appearance. They had dark skin, much darker than her caramel skin and they had beady brown eyes. A white bandana was wrapped around her head like a cobra and thick black bush of hair sprouted out from within the containment of the fabric. A sniper rifle was perched on the woman's back, scope glinting in the dark of the night. </p><p>Clementine watched as the woman crawled to her feet. She cocked her head as the radio attached to the woman's chest buzzed to life and Lilly's voice crackled and fuzzed-out of the small electronic device. "Dorian, status report. Over."</p><p>Dorian, as she had just learned, lowered her head to meet the radio, "That girl you shot, boss, she's still alive and she spotted me. Over."</p><p>She glared at Dorian during the booming silence, waiting for Lilly's voice to come back. </p><p>"Get back here," She could hear the calculated coldness and frustration in Lilly's voice, "You are really stubborn, Clementine. Over and out."</p><p>"Well," Dorian said, looking at her, "You heard the lady. I should get goin'." </p><p>"You're not going anywhere." She snarled, beginning to march up to the woman.</p><p>Dorian laughed and the sound was grating. It was like a witch's laugh. She pulled the rifle off her back and held it in her talons, aiming the barrel at her. She switched the safety off.  "And who has a gun? My orders aren't to kill ya but I won't hesitate."</p><p>Clementine froze. Caught like a deer in the headlights. Her jaw clenched shut and she grounded her teeth together. The volleying beats of her heart battered against her ribcage. All Dorian had to do was pull the trigger and she would be dead. Slowly, she put her hands up and backed away, her boots sliding against the loose dirt. </p><p>Dorian smirked, "Tha's a good girl."</p><p>Clementine sneered as the woman walked away, keeping the gun trained on her. It didn't take long for her to lose sight of Dorian, who had shouldered through the sturdy underbrush, submerging herself in shadows. Dorian was gone and Clementine deflated, annoyed at herself. She had let her escape. A small "fuck..." dribbled out her mouth.</p><p>Footsteps approached from behind her in sudden succession, blending to form a whirlwind of heavy gallops. Louis brisked past her, "What happened?"</p><p>"A scout." She responded, letting it hang into the air, "We should be on high alert from now on and no unnecessary risks."</p><p>"Who put you in charge?" Mitch. Of course, it was Mitch. She turned around, ready to lay a verbal smackdown on the asshole when Louis interrupted her.</p><p>"Give it a rest. Do you have any better ideas?"</p><p>Mitch glowered, "How do we know she isn't making this shit up?" </p><p>Clementine scowled at him and pointed at the thin line of blood dripping from her nose. "I didn't do this to myself, jackass. Quit trying to find a reason to kick me out early, it isn't working."</p><p>She sighed, pinching the bridge of her bleeding nose.</p><p>"We should get back inside. There's no safe zone anymore... I don't think there ever was."</p><p>"Hopefully Vi and the others will be back soon, I'm getting worried," Tenn said, his voice meek, quiet and nervous. </p><p>"Me too..."</p><hr/><p>"So Clementine is still alive?" Carver asked, his voice jumping out of the large radio. Lilly paced with no direction. Just doing laps around the small room, the metallic twinge of the boat wafting into her nose. She planted her hands onto the desk.</p><p>"Yes." She growled, "I don't know why. I shot her in the gut and they're all kids!" </p><p>"Don't underestimate them." Carver warned, "They may be young but they made it this far after all. I ain't gonna lie, Clementine has impressed me."</p><p>Lilly paused, "How can you be impressed?" </p><p>Carver chuckled. "She's a survivor. I respect that. There is one thing I must ask, however."</p><p>"Go ahead, Sir."</p><p>"Was there a kid with her? Should be around... five."</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Good, he's your top priority." </p><p>"Really?" Lilly stammered, "But-but he isn't even old enough to fight!"</p><p>"You've misunderstood me." Carver responded, "If you had a child, it'd be natural to want them back."</p><p>She went bug-eyed.</p><p>"Bring him back and if there is one scratch of harm on him..." His voice was low and dangerous, enough to get his point across, "Well, I don't have to say it, do I? Lieutenant?"</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Paint It Black</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's been awhile, huh.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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        <em>Clementine fired up from her seat on the grimy floor, sagging against the chilled steel of the basement door. She sniffled and swiped tears away from her face; her fingers entwined around the tattered grip of her dependable blade. Snarling sinisterly, the teenager barged her shoulder into the door with a loud bang and barrelled through the doorway. Eyes alight with rage. Haunted creaks reverberated throughout the empty and dingy basement as she descended. </em>
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        <em>It was dark. Too dark to accurately see. Dim beams of light penetrated the depths of the darkness through the open doorway. Clementine winced and staggered down the last couple of steps, her injured ribs poking against her insides. One of her hands worked over to her side as she massaged it tenderly. She kept an eye out on the moving shadows like a hawk watching its prey.</em>
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        <em>The barred windows let stray beams of light pierce through the dark, being blocked by the shuffling of undead feet. A small horde had formed just outside. A wave of putrid flesh ready to tear whoever was inside apart limb by limb. Clementine could spot her car through the commotion, sitting dormant. </em>
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        <em>Rotten faces gazed at her hungrily, soulless and jagged yellow teeth snapping as they growled. She took her knife out as the first one approached. It was Sam. The younger of the brothers. His arm was chopped off and exposing the off-white bone marrow within. Cracked around the edges as if it had been mauled by a rabid dog. With extreme precision, she jammed the knife through his jaw, pushing through his brain and out the other side.</em>
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        <em>She yanked the bloodied weapon out, letting the walker drop to the floor in a heap. She marched past the dead body and over to the older brother. Her amber eyes softened as she saw his hollow eye socket, slit neck and busted knee. His nails screeched against the concrete as he crawled toward her. She had done this to him. Maybe AJ was correct. Perhaps she was a monster...</em>
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        <em>Swallowing the doubt that swirled through her mind, she brought her knee into the air and slammed her foot down onto the walker's head. She felt his cranium crumble under the weight of her heavy boot. She stepped off, black blood plopping off her sole. The walker's head was now just a puddle of brain and tiny fragments of gore. </em>
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        <em>Her heightened breathing decreased, her shoulders untensed, her tight grip on her knife relaxed. Her frustrations vented, Clementine slumped. Defeated. Her thoughts trailed to AJ and the way he looked at her. He was scared of her. Terrified even. As if she would hurt him.</em>
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        <em>A shy tear leaked from the corner of her eye, small and alone. She stared at the doorway, a need to find AJ filling her core. It wasn't safe at night. Walkers got faster, more dangerous. She put her blade away and dashed out the basement, thundering through the house, ignoring how the walkers slammed against the front door, and pushing through the backdoor.</em>
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        <em>The moon was out, her frosted pants were noticeable in the cold air. Overgrown blades of grass danced in the wind, swaying from side to side and wet mud splodged as she trudged through it.</em>
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        <em>"AJ!" She called out, getting nothing but the sound of rustling leaves. Eventually, she came to a rickety white picket fence. She trailed her finger across the faded and peeling paint, analysing it for any holes. Finally, her gaze connected with a swinging piece of wood. It was covering a hole small enough for AJ to crawl through. Recently formed tracks bolted through the gap.</em>
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        <em>She marched to the weak fence, raised her leg and kicked. Her foot slammed against the wood, it groaned and shook. She launched her leg at it again. Clementine watched as the part of the fence loudly snapped off. Grabbing the serrated edges on the sides, she yanked them off. Ignoring how they cut into the palms on her hand. </em>
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        <em>She heaved through the fence and was met with a daunting forest. A clear pathway, layered with cobblestone, cut through the thicket. Paranoia crept up her skin. Not for her own safety, no, but rather for AJ's. He was just a kid. A capable kid, yes. She had raised him to be. There were still things she had yet to teach him, however. Stuff he wasn't prepared for. The cruelty of humanity was one such thing. </em>
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        <em>She heard the rev of an engine and dived to the side, ducking behind a tree trunk. She planted her hand on the rough bark and peaked. It was a motorbike. The driver had long flowing charcoal hair, and her paws were wrapped around the handlebars, her posture slouched.</em>
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        <em>The passenger had a sawed-off shotgun in her grip. She wore thick clothing and a night vision helmet. She ducked back as her gaze landed on a tree near her in a sinister gleam of emerald. She waited with bated breaths for the engine to flare to life again. Eventually, they left.</em>
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        <em>She emerged from her hiding place and watched the direction they went in. She should have known Negan was never gonna make this easy for her. Just as she was about to continue, she paused, cocking her head as the heavy sounds of groaning filled her hearing. Falteringly, like a deer about to be smashed by a car, she turned around. </em>
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        <em>The horde had caught up.</em>
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        <em>"Fuck." She whispered, turning tail and running. It was a rush against time to find AJ now. She couldn't stay in the forest for much longer. The Saviors were looking for them, and the dead were pursuing her.</em>
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        <em>She ran, avoiding the bike doing rounds around the area. They knew her rough locations, just not exact. If she could get close enough, that bike would be all hers. Yes, that would mean ditching the supplies, but escaping the Saviors was a higher priority. If she caught like this and she was on her own, she would take the risk, but there was not a single chance in Hell that she was risking AJ's safety like that. </em>
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        <em>She stopped at a long, wooden pier that stretched out to the middle of a large lake. Water lapped at the corroded boards of damp wood and she could see faintly at the end, bathed in smoke, AJ. His legs were hanging off the edge limply. He was motionless. Clementine took her first creaky step and began to walk over to him. </em>
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        <em>She sighed, placed a hand on the kid's shoulder and sat beside him. She took notice at how he didn't react to her presence, and the way her long legs, in comparison to AJ's short legs, broke through the surface tension of the dark water. The wind howled as they sat there in silence. </em>
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        <em>"I did it for you," Clementine said. "If anything happened to you... I wouldn't have it in me to keep going."</em>
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        <em>"They were family. All of them. I could've been a part of that."</em>
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        <em>Clementine laughed. "You gotta be shitting me. You think they kept you around because they liked you? They kept you around because none of them had it in them to kill a kid. They all lacked the balls."</em>
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        <em>AJ crunched his eyes shut. "Jack was really excited for his child. He and Katy would spend all night cuddling together." </em>
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        <em>"How do you know this?" She interjected. "You were locked in a fucking room." </em>
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        <em>"Only that once. I just... I put one of the things you taught me in use, the one about taking what you can without stealing? Where you push the boundaries of what others let you do. I pushed too far, and they punished me for it. That was when you attacked."</em>
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        <em>"I saved you." </em>
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        <em>"No! You didn't! You keep saying you'd do anything to protect me, and then when someone who can do it better comes along you kill them!" </em>
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        <em>She scoffed and looked away. </em>
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        <em>"Just like McCarrol Ranch."</em>
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        <em>It was like a switch had been flipped; her dismissal turned into a fiery rage. She fists tensed around the planks of wood, and she snapped her jaw shut. AJ looked at her and then quickly looked away again. </em>
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        <em>"I'm- I'm sorry-" </em>
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        <em>"Too late." She cut in, growling. "You fucking said it."</em>
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        <em>Clementine stood up, grabbed AJ by the elbow and roughly dragged him down the pier.</em>
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        <em>"I went through Hell for you. And this is how you fucking treat me? I can't sleep at night knowing what I've had to do for you. I have more scars than I can count because I take all the hits for you. Without me, you wouldn't last two weeks. This is how the world works. There aren't good guys, there aren't bad guys. There are just survivors. Survival of the fucking fittest and whether you like it or not, whether I like it or not, you gotta grow up, or you'll end up dead. Like everyone else I ever gave a shit about." </em>
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        <em>"C-Clem, I'm sorry." </em>
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        <em>She laughed. "I bet you are. Now shut up so I can get us back safely. People are hunting us, and I'm not gonna baby you anymore. You're gonna see how this fucking world works real soon." Clementine shook her head and let AJ go. "You got it? Stick close."</em>
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        <em>AJ nodded as she crouched against a fallen log. He joined her. She poked her head over it and saw the bike from earlier. The headlights were on, and it was letting off a luscious purr. She could see the two people standing, facing each other. </em>
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        <em>"They aren't here, Steph." One of them said, her voice oddly deep and smooth.</em>
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        <em>"Max, think. They have to be," Stephanie responded curtly. "We didn't create a ring of walkers for no fucking reason."</em>
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        <em>Max sighed. "Yeah, yeah, you're probably right. Just keep an eye out for them. Negan's really insistent that we bring them to him."</em>
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        <em>Stephanie rolled her eyes. "That dude needs to take a fucking chill pill sometimes. It's just two children. What's the worse that could happen?" </em>
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        <em>"Don't say shit like that. You'll jinx us and something horrible will happen." </em>
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        <em>Stephanie giggled. "You're so overdramatic sometimes." </em>
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        <em>Clementine ducked again. "Two of them. Both have guns, and that motorbike is up for grabs. We gotta take 'em out to get it."</em>
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        <em>"Why can't why just sneak up and take it without anyone getting hurt?" AJ asked. </em>
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        <em>Clementine took a moment to stare at the floor and roll her eyes. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't just ask that. They have guns, they will shoot us the moment I get on that bike and rev the engine."</em>
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        <em>"So... what are you gonna do?" </em>
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        <em>"Watch and learn." She rolled over the log and immediately attracted Max's attention. Quickly, she slashed out and carved through her neck, spraying blood like a flamethrower. Stephanie took out her sawed-off shotgun, and before she could aim it at her, she stabbed her knife into the woman's gut. One, two, three and finally, four times. Each stab rewarded Clementine with a flinch, a gasp of pain and a quick spurt of blood. She threw Stephanie to the ground over her knee and stabbed her in the head, killing her. </em>
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        <em>She picked up the shotgun and directed AJ to pick up the pistol. An order he followed silently and almost unwillingly. She pocketed both her knife and gun and hopped effortlessly onto the bike.</em>
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        <em>"See? Problem solved. Let's go." She revved the engine and grinned as it flared to life. Her grin fell as she noticed AJ staring at her, an overwhelming sadness in the depths of his eyes. She averted her gaze and answered the silent question. "I don't like killing. I just do it out of necessity to keep us both alive."</em>
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        <em>"How do you do it?"</em>
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        <em>"I-I bury my humanity... It's better than being dead, and... I can protect you better that way. You're all that matters. I-" She looked away, took a deep breath and looked back at the kid. She cleared her throat and brimming tears. "Let's go before the walkers close in."</em>
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        <em>It had been a long drive, but they finally stopped. Clementine turned the engine of the bike off, and stepped onto the grass. Day was breaking, and the clouds were like a blanket. Her eyes felt like a pouch filled to the brim with bricks, extremely heavy. She covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. She squinted as the sun viciously attacked her eyes from over the horizon. With the feeling of an unfathomable weight upon her shoulders; Clementine trudged up to the front door of a small log cabin. She stood still in the porch for a brief moment, and everything around her swirled like a psychedelic trip. Clementine staggered, and her fingers fought furiously for a place to grip. Finally, they found a railing, and she leaned over the side. </em>
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        <em>She gasped for breath, and before she knew it, an acidic sludge-like substance retched from her mouth. Spitting the last few remnants of vomit out of her mouth, she straightened and wiped her mouth clean.</em>
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        <em>"Are you alright?" AJ asked, his brows furrowed in concern. </em>
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        <em>"Yeah, yeah..." She dismissed, waving her hand. "I've just been straining myself recently, my body can't keep up." At AJ's confused expression, she explained in more detail. "I haven't rested in a long ass time."</em>
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    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"That... happens?"</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>Clementine nodded and pushed the door to the cabin open. She recoiled from the smell of alcohol. "It's why we pace ourselves. Keep an eye out for people, they're dangerous, and this is new territory."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"All of them?"</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"All of them." She echoed. Holding the sawed-off shotgun forward and hugging the walls, she snuck through the house, clearing every room as she went: hallway, living room, kitchen, the landing, the bathroom, and finally two of the three bedrooms. She barged through the final door, not caring for the immense noise it created and stood still. It was a kid. He was ten years of age and holding a revolver at her in his shaking hands. Someone was hanging from the ceiling by a noose attached to a fan, their jaws snapped at the kid. His skin was grey, but all his hairs were still thick. There was no doubt in Clementine's mind he hadn't been dead for long. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"S-Stay away from my dad!" He screamed. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>Clementine raised her hand and slowly placed her gun on the ground before raising her other hand. "I don't care about your dad..." She said softly. "Just lower the gun."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>He stayed aiming at her, his lip quivering. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>She sighed. "What's your name, kid?"</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"K-Ken." </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"Right..." She nodded, wishing to cleanse the memories of the Kenny she used to know. "Ken, lower the gun... We can talk. There are walkers nearby... You kill me, you kill yourself too."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>Ken's gaze flickered behind her for a brief moment before his aim changed slightly to her left. She followed where he was looking to see AJ with his pistol pointed at Ken. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"Tell him to lower his first!" Ken demanded. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"AJ..." She warned. "Lower it."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"All people are dangerous, right?" He said, ignoring her. "That means him too."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>She watched in slow-motion as AJ's finger pushed down on the trigger, and like lightning, she grabbed the barrel and pointed it up. The gun went off and tore through the rope keeping the walker suspended in the air. Ken flinched from the noise, and fired as his dad fell on top of him, biting into his soft neck. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>Clementine cried as the bullet tore through her gut and land in the doorframe. She held her hand to the wound and fell to the floor, holding herself up with her wobbly arm. It felt like her intestines were trying to escape her body. "Kill... Kill the walker..." She managed, before hissing and leaving a bloody handprint on the wall as she sought to stand. </em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>AJ walked over to the walker and shot him in the head, right before shooting Ken in the head too. He bounded over to her side and helped support her in standing. "I'm sorry!"</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"L-Later. We gotta move. Walkers will be here soon, and those gunshots gave them an exact location. I was trying to talk him down to avoid that." She grit her teeth and fell against the wall. "Fuck. I'm not going anywhere like this... AJ, you need to run."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>"No! I'm not going anywhere without you."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>She stared at him and sighed. "Fine. Block the doors with furniture and use anything else you can to block the windows. We're gonna have to hole up in here." As AJ began to run downstairs, she called out to him. "We're gonna have a talk later. A long one."</em>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <em>AJ froze and slowly nodded.</em>
      </p>
    </div>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <hr/>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Clementine slowly blinked awake, dashes of warm light flickering through her eyelashes. She groaned and held her hand over her eyes to block the harsh, piercing rays that tried so desperately to blind her. Her head was, for once, shockingly calm. It was as if she hadn't just had a flashback to the other time she got shot in the gut. Swinging her legs off the side of the bed, she stood and stretched, wincing as her bullet wound reprimanded her for such an action. She swore softly, hesitantly touched the injury and hissed. She recoiled her hand quicker than someone who had just picked up a lump of hot coal. Swearing again, she pushed open the heavy door and left her room. She paused halfway through, walked backwards, grabbed her hat and placed it upon her head, flattening the stray curls of dark brown hair that twisted upwards.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Entering the hallway, she noticed that it was oddly silent. If they hadn't discovered the clickers, the sounds of Louis' piano would be fluttering through the endless maze of hallways. But now? Nothing. She sighed and entered the room with the piano. To her surprise, only Molly was in there. Molly was sat on a rickety wooden chair, one of the legs was beginning to splinter. She was sitting within the midst of a semi-circle of other lonely chairs. </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"You made it back safe, then?" Clementine announced, taking a seat next to the woman. Her amber eyes noticed that Molly was holding Hilda in her hands, the flat side of the blade in one hand, the handle in the other. </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Yeah, we all did," Molly responded curtly.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Is something the matter?" She questioned, watching as Molly rubbed her eyes and straightened her back.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I was just," Molly faltered. "I was just thinking back to when the world first became," Molly gestured with her arm to the rest of the room, "this. A hellhole full of geeks."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Clementine nodded. "What were you doing before?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"College."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"College?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"You heard me. I was gunning to be something in the medical field. That... never happened. I did mountain climbing as a hobby."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Why do you call her Hilda?" Clementine couldn't help but ask.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Molly paused. "She was my climbing instructor. We were, uh, we were close; me and her." </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"What happened to her?" She asked.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Molly went silent, and gazed emptily at one spot on the floor. "Same thing that happens to everyone. We were in Atlanta at the time, visiting relatives, you know how it is. Then... Then the dead started walking. So, the government being the fucking government, they napalmed Atlanta. To try and contain it, I think. Hilda... She- She was on the streets at the time. Helping this poor kid who got his foot trapped between the bars on a sewer grate. I found her shortly afterwards. Nothing but a charred walker." Molly held up Hilda for her to see. "I found this in her bag, took my sister and ran to Savannah. How did it start for you?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I'm sorry about Hilda..." She said. </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Molly smiled. "It's okay, kid. As long as I have the other Hilda, I know she'll always be with me. Anyway, your turn to answer."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Clementine sighed and shuffled in her seat. "I was staying with my babysitter, Sandra. She got bit when we were shopping for a replacement dress because I ripped a hole in mine at school. This prick called John. We got under each other's skin all the time, so as you can imagine, we fought a lot. I didn't know what being bit meant back then, and Sandra's health was declining." She took the time to chuckle. "Eight year old me was shitting herself." </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Molly smirked. "And, then Lee found you?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Yep. I'd of starved to death in my treehouse if it wasn't for him." Clementine smiled, remembering Lee fondly. "Can I ask you something? Again."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>The blonde shrugged.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I'm leaving with AJ, and I want you to come with us. This place ain't safe for him, and if something happens to me..."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Molly cocked her head. "Sounds like I'd be making the same promise I've already made to someone else. You're a lot like him, Clem."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I wish I was like him. Lee would never do the shit I've done."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>The woman sighed. "Fine. I'll come. I haven't gone all this way for nothing."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Thanks..."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Don't worry about it. Are you leaving without telling anyone else?" Molly's dark blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint, and Clementine instantly knew who she was talking about. </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I-I was gonna ask her the same thing."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"The others?" </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"What about them? They'd slow me down whereas she seems capable."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Molly winked. "Us blonde loners are reliable. She's outside with the others."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Clementine nodded her appreciation and quickly left the room. Her thoughts dwelled to what Molly had just told her. She tried to imagine the pain of going through that, and soon realised she couldn't for she didn't grasp what romantic love was like. She never did have time for that shit.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Maybe after the mess with the Delta was done and dusted?</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>She snorted. As if that would ever happen. There were no brakes in this shitty world. If the Delta ever went away, what would take their place? A dangerous winter? An unstoppable horde of slow-moving corpses? It was anyone's guess, and quite frankly, Clementine didn't want an answer. She just wanted it all to stop. She was exhausted. </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>She pushed open the door only to see Violet flinch backwards, her hand outstretched like she was about to open the door herself. </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Um, hello... I was just looking for you..." The blonde said meekly.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Yeah, I was gonna look for you, too." She responded, stepping through the door and closing. "What's up?" </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I'm worried about the things we found. Some dead dude with a walker-skin mask... Shot dead this close to us... Something's up."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"I think you're right; something </span>
        <span>is</span>
        <span> up. I was sleeping by the time you got back, but a scout was watching the place." </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Wait, what? Clem! That's bad!"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Yeah, no shit." She hissed, hoping Violet would keep quiet. "AJ isn't safe here. I'm leaving with him and Molly. Are you coming?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Violet's emerald eye blasted wider than Clementine had ever seen them go before. The blonde bit the inside of her cheek and looked around the schoolyard. Finally, she rested her line of sight back on Clementine. "That's a lot to throw on a girl..."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Vi, what do you have her?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Tenn. I promised Minerva before... That I would watch out for him. I can't leave him here and go off with you. Not unless I bring him with me, but the poor kid is too sheltered and naive to last out there."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Natural selection." She snarled. "He isn't prepared for this world and never will be. He's gonna die no matter what."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Violet glared at her. "Watch it." </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"It's true! I barely know the kid, but even I can see it. Don't turn a blind eye because of your denial. Once the shit hits the fan, which it will because it always does, he ain't making it through to see the other side."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Violet held her arm and escaped her gaze, looking off to the side at a small burned down building attached to the side of the Admin building. "That's how he got that scar on his face... I got him out, but I was too late to stop any injuries." Violet chuckled. "The dude rarely leaves me alone anymore." </span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>A long pause.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Where I go, he goes."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Vi... He'll slow us all down. He's not coming." She eyed the other girl's reaction, noticing her anger, like a breath in cold air, appear and disappear.</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"Then I'm not coming."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>Clementine nodded, her mood a bit more solemn. She started walking away, mindset on finding AJ and getting out before anything could happen, but that was when Violet spoke once more, freezing Clementine in her tracks. "The apocalypse hasn't been kind on you, has it?"</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"No... No, it hasn't. I'm not who I used to be; that person has been long dead. I've done shit... shit I'm not proud of, but shit I would do all over again if it meant AJ's safety. I would sacrifice everyone here for him without even blinking an eye. And before you give me any crap for saying that, you would too if you've lost everything."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
    <div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr">
      <p>
        <span>"So have I. The people in this school are everything I have left. If you would do anything for AJ, then I would do anything for the people here."</span>
      </p>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p></p>
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        <span>"Then you're a fool if you think you won't lose it all either way. Why not at the very least save yourself? I know you're the most capable one here."</span>
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        <span>Violet crossed her arms. "Then surely it's my job to protect them, no?"</span>
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        <span>"Let me tell you something. All these years I've spent travelling, not one person has succeeded at that. You try to do the right thing, you die."</span>
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        <span>"We all die anyway. I'd rather die a good person than a bad person. I'm not like you, Clem. I haven't traded my morals to survive. What would be the point? All you've done is kill yourself. Your body may be walking, but the person inside is dead. You're no different to a walker."</span>
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        <span>And that was when a gunshot rang out, and Mitch dropped dead, a hole firmly between his eyes. His blood dribbled out and stained the dirt. Clementine looked into the trees and caught the glint of a scope in the trees. "Get inside!" She roared, pushing Violet into the Admin building. </span>
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        <span>She looked back from the doorway and glared at what she saw. A convoy of armoured trucks with mounted light machine guns hanging out the back door windows tore through the metal gate, ripping it cleanly off its hinges. Out of all the kids outside, the only ones to make it inside were Louis, AJ and Aasim. The rest had been cut off by the trucks. </span>
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        <span>Lilly got out of the lead truck, assault rifle in hand. "Clementine." She greeted simply, aiming her gun at the hostage kids. As if in perfect harmony, every truck aimed at the Admin building. The Delta grunts that weren't manned on the guns stepped out, and her amber eyes widened in shock; there were loads of them. </span>
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        <span>"Okay... I can see why Marlon traded the twins..." She muttered as Molly came running around the corner. </span>
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        <span>Abel sneered at her, and she heard Violet gasp in shock and followed her gaze to a redhead holding a hunting rifle. </span>
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        <span>"Minnie..." She heard her murmur. </span>
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        <span>Louis placed a hand Violet's shoulder and directed her away. "I think it would be a good idea if we ran..."</span>
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        <span>"We can't leave them!" Violet argued. "We'll just sacrifice everyone?"</span>
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        <span>Molly cut in. "If you want to try, you can. But, I can guarantee you that it won't work. They'll tear through your ass faster than a really spicy curry. They're as good as dead, we have to focus on ourselves here." </span>
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        <span>"She's right." Clementine agreed. "We gotta run, or we're dead. Sometimes you have no choice... This is one of those times. You can't save everyone... Sorry Vi, AJ... But I doubt you two are ever gonna see Tenn again."</span>
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        <span>AJ's face shifted into anger. "Of fucking course..." </span>
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        <span>Molly raised an eyebrow at her, and Clementine sighed. "I let him. The world has ended, swearing is the least of my concerns." She shook her head and called out to Lilly. "What do you want?" </span>
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        <span>"I want the kid," Lilly responded. "The rest of you used to be the main objective, but things have changed. You guys are secondary."</span>
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        <span>As if to prove her point, Lilly pointed the cold barrel of her assault rifle to Willy's forehead. The poor kid whimpered, and Lilly shot. His head whipped backwards, and his corpse hit the floor in a cloud of dirty dust. Ruby cried out at the noise and soon felt the barrel point against her head. She bit her tongue, and Lilly smirked, pulling the gun away. </span>
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        <span>"You'll be an obedient soldier. I can tell."</span>
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        <span>Clementine called out again. "Why do you want AJ?"</span>
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        <span>"I don't want him, but the boss does. Now, are you gonna hand him over or am I gonna have to kill you all to get him?"</span>
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        <span>"Okay, Okay... I'll hand him over." Clementine surrendered, she walked halfway out into the doorway, and with her hidden hand, gestured for the other to run. Clementine made eye contact with Lilly and smirked. "I'm not that fucking naive to think you would let us go if we did that."</span>
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        <span>She ducked to the side as a hail of bullets screamed through the doorway. She ran down the hallway as bullets, shards of broken glass and splinters of wood thundered around her. </span>
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        <span>Clementine's heart boomed in her chest as bullet after bullet lodged itself into her surroundings. Crashing through cabinets, plant pots, the lights, and the wall. She took a hard left and ran further into the school. She could see the others just a bit further ahead. Faintly, through the sudden silence leftover in the gunfire's wake, she could pick up the sound of heavy footsteps that sounded like stampeding of elephants. Panic surged through her veins. The chase was on. </span>
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        <span>She went around another corner and jumped at an undead hand slamming against the glass of a classroom. She could see through the murky window, silhouettes of walkers that all merged into one. She scraped her hand against the ground, picked up a chair and threw it through the window. Tiny shards exploded everywhere, and the walkers quickly began to spill into the hallway. Clementine dashed ahead of the released horde, leaving them for the Delta to deal with and ran as fast as she could. Her lungs and gunshot wound burned, begging her to stop. She saw the tail end of Louis' duster swirl around the corner, and she followed it, appearing beside him.</span>
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        <span>"Wonderful weather we're having." Louis joked. </span>
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        <span>"I've always loved the rain. Especially when it's bullets."</span>
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        <span>A ghost of a smile cracked across Louis' lips. His eyes widened as Molly jumped, kicked off a row of lockers, sunk Hilda into the rim of the skylight above and haul herself up. Her hand lowered down. "Hurry up! Take my hand!"</span>
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        <span>Louis crouched down and held his hands like a basket and low to the ground. "Sorry, ladies... But I'm the biggest one here out of you both. I'll lift you guys up first." </span>
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        <span>Gunshots went off. "We should hurry up, then..." Violet spoke.</span>
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        <span>"AJ. Go on." Clementine demanded. AJ placed his foot in Louis' hand and Louis propelled him upwards. Molly snatched AJ by the wrist and pulled him the rest of the way up. "Vi."</span>
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        <span>"You're shot." </span>
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        <span>"You're smaller." </span>
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        <span>Violet huffed. "No need to point it out..."</span>
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        <span>With the help of Louis and Molly, Violet was on the roof as well. Clementine followed suit. </span>
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        <span>"How do we get Lou up?"</span>
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        <span>"Ladder." AJ pointed out. Clementine followed his gaze. It was bridging the gap between their current building and what looked to be more dorms. </span>
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        <span>"Good job, AJ." Clementine complimented, dashing toward the ladder with the others, AJ staying behind. She pulled the bottom out, and it swung down, crashing into the window and showing Louis with sparks of glass.</span>
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        <span>"Are you trying to kill me!" He shouted. </span>
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        <span>A shot rang out behind her and Clementine whipped around to see AJ shoot through the skylight at a clicker that was approaching Louis in the hallway below. </span>
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        <span>"There's not enough time to drop the ladder for Louis..." Molly warned, her voice low. </span>
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        <span>"Good thing I smashed the window then..." She replied. "Louis, grab the ladder and climb up." </span>
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        <span>"Are you gonna be able to hold that thing?" </span>
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        <span>"Vi, Molly! Help!" Clementine let out a breath of relief when they did just that. She went bug-eyed when the ladder dropped down due to an increase in weight. She dug her heels into the building and pulled back with Molly and Violet. Finally, Louis' hand gripped onto the lip of the roof, and he pulled himself up. </span>
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        <span>A wave of gunshots echoed through the building and out of the skylight. AJ lowered his revolver, and watched as the horde of walkers was shredded by a tsunami of bullets. The Delta had caught up.</span>
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        <span>"We gotta get out of the school." Molly begun. "That's our only chance. Lose them in the woods. Any ideas?"</span>
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        <span>"The hole!" Violet exclaimed.</span>
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        <span>"Hole?" Molly questioned. </span>
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        <span>"Yeah, Mitch and Willy when they were testing explosives blew a hole in the wall. We can escape through that."</span>
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        <span>"What way?" Clementine asked.</span>
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        <span>Violet hummed in thought, walked to the edge of the building and pointed toward the still-rising sun. "That way. Through... Fuck. Through the gym." </span>
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        <span>"What's wrong with the gym?" </span>
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        <span>Louis answered. "It where we locked all the walkers day one... We have to get through there."</span>
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